Benin strengthens security cooperation with its neighbors in the face of upsurge in attacks

Benin is facing more and more attacks by armed groups, especially near its borders, such as in Park W. Here, sunset over the Niger River in Park W. on the border between Niger, the Benin and Burkina Faso.

(Photo: Hama Abdou)

Text by: RFI Follow

3 mins

Beninese President Patrice Talon announced Thursday, February 10 the strengthening of his internal response plan against armed terrorist groups, but he also wants to activate the General Staff for a joint response with neighboring countries.

Benin, which shares Park W with its neighbours, is also a member of the Accra initiative created in 2017 to deal with the terrorist threat.

The government has indicated that the " 

 " of Park W is a critical area where joint action must be taken.

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With our correspondent in Cotonou,

Patrice Talon, who has often had himself represented at sub-regional meetings, recently went twice to Accra at the ECOWAS summit.

On January 9, he saw his peers from Niger, Ghana and Burkina face to face.

On January 16, on his way to Paris and Brussels, he stopped this time in Abidjan to meet President Alassane Ouattara.

Both countries, like Burkina Faso, Ghana and Togo, belong to the Accra initiative.  

Last month, their chiefs of staff met in Accra.

This with the aim of a joint operation of the armies of the five countries to " 

 " which operate in

.

The operation will be called “ 

 ”, named after a village in Burkina Faso.

Still in the dynamics of an organized response with the neighbours, we learned that on December 6, the armies of Benin and Togo strengthened their cooperation on the ground and are planning actions on their common borders.

Report says jihadist influence could spread to new West African countries

How far can jihadist influence extend in West Africa?

A new report from the French Institute of International Relations tries to answer.

The researcher Mathieu Pellerin describes the progression of the jihadists towards the coastal States, Benin, Ivory Coast, Togo or Ghana.

An extension favored first by socio-economic factors.

Since 2012, the jihadist progression seems inexorable in West Africa writes the report.

The armed groups have extended their influence and their actions towards the South: we see this in Mali, Burkina or Niger.

However, according to Mathieu Pellerin, the coastal countries, Côte d'Ivoire of course, but also Benin, Togo or even Ghana, are also in the sights.

The north of Côte d'Ivoire is increasingly under attack, launched from Burkina.

Benin, initially a source of supply, finds itself facing increased pressure, with armed operations, preaching in the villages, recruitment... Togo has also gone from the status of a logistics zone to that of a theater of operation.

Finally, in Guinea and Ghana, even if the presence of jihadists has not yet been proven there, cells would be installed near their borders and recruitment is taking place.

This " 

 " as the report writes, is mainly community-based.

Weakened populations, victims of injustice and violence, in the forefront of which breeders who transport their animals, represent " 

 ".

Their stigmatization and economic difficulties make them prime targets, although recruiters are also interested in vigilante groups and criminals.

The report highlights the efforts of coastal States in terms of security, cooperation and local networking.

But according to the survey, governments absolutely must fight socio-economic divides, poverty, and stigma if they are to stem the jihadist breakthrough.

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• Benign

• Defense

• Patrice Talon

• Terrorism

• Burkina Faso

• Ghana

• Togo