Following the military coup that unfolded in Niger on July 26, 2023, international reactions were swift. Prominent organizations such as ECOWAS, the AU, and nations including the USA, France, and Russia, quickly articulated their positions. Within Bénin, the involvement of President Patrice Talon and hints of a potential armed intervention have not been universally welcomed. Western media outlets have suggested Bénin might commit troops to support ECOWAS in confronting the military junta. Numerous stakeholders, notably the Catholic Church and political figures, have openly advocated for diplomacy as the preferred route to resolve the crisis, dismissing military action as an unsuitable solution.
The elected representatives from the opposition party, « Les Démocrates », have directly challenged the government regarding the situation, presenting a comprehensive list of 19 critical inquiries. Their primary concern revolves around the justification for Bénin’s military engagement, particularly considering the longstanding fraternal bond between Bénin and Niger. They also voiced apprehension regarding adherence to the Béninese constitution, the safety of deployed troops, and importantly, the potential for conflict escalation and its far-reaching repercussions for both the civilian population and Bénin itself.
Beyond military considerations, significant economic and diplomatic issues were also brought to the forefront. The decision to close borders with Niger could incur substantial consequences for the Autonomous Port of Cotonou and the broader Béninese economy, which is already grappling with the effects of ECOWAS sanctions. In response to the escalating prices of essential commodities and the adverse impact on economic operators, the opposition demands concrete answers from the government.
Dialogue is emerging as a favored approach for many regional and international actors. Opposition lawmakers have reminded Patrice Talon of his own past advocacy for dialogue as an alternative to coups, urging him to implement a similar inclusive dialogue within Bénin. The current period calls for careful consideration, thorough questioning, and, above all, the pursuit of peaceful and consensual resolutions for the region’s future.
oral question with debate to the government
On July 26, 2023, a military coup d’état occurred in Niger, truncating the constitutional mandate of President Mohamed Bazoum. This event triggered reactions from various states globally and from sub-regional and regional organizations, including ECOWAS, the AU, and the UN. On Thursday, August 10, 2023, the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS member countries convened an extraordinary summit, concluding with decisions that included ordering the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.
Subsequently, the government of Bénin, through its official declarations, resolved to commit Béninese troops to the ECOWAS contingent tasked with confronting the ruling military junta. Given this governmental decision to involve the Béninese state in a conflict against the fraternal and sovereign people of Niger—a move perceived as violating Article 101 of our constitution—and understanding that the sanctions imposed by the ECOWAS Conference of Heads of State at its session on July 30, 2023, in Abuja, are already severely impacting our country’s economic, social, and security landscape, the national representation, in accordance with Article 108 and its various paragraphs of the National Assembly’s internal regulations, requests the government to address the following concerns:
- What measures has the government taken to seek parliamentary approval regarding the deployment of Béninese troops to the ECOWAS operational theater in Niger, should the military option be implemented, in compliance with Article 101, paragraph 1 of our constitution: “the declaration of war is authorized by the National Assembly”?
- In anticipation of this potential conflict against the sovereign people of Niger, several nations, such as France and the United States, have arranged for the evacuation of their citizens from Niger. What provisions has the government of Bénin made for its citizens residing in Niger?
- Given that Bénin and Niger are fraternal nations, what justifies Bénin’s willingness to send its troops to attack Niger, while other ECOWAS countries not bordering Niger decline to participate?
- What is the estimated number of Béninese soldiers and the essential logistics the government intends to provide to the ECOWAS contingent? What is the projected cost of Bénin’s potential participation in this operation? Who will bear these expenses?
- Should an aggression against the fraternal nation of Niger occur, can our government guarantee that no lives of Nigerien civilians will be lost, nor those of our soldiers?
- What provisions has the government made for each soldier in terms of bonuses, and for each soldier’s family in the event of Béninese soldiers’ deaths in the theater of operations?
- As Bénin is a border country with Niger, what assurance does the government offer that, in the event of a counter-attack by the Nigerien army, no casualties will be recorded on Béninese soil?
- Can the government reassure the public that, in the event of war with Niger, potential jihadists will not exploit the situation to infiltrate our country, as observed in Libya?
- Would it not be wiser to prioritize political and diplomatic dialogue, as was the case in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea?
- Is it not possible for Bénin to lead, as it has in the past within ECOWAS, in preventing coups d’état by combating electoral exclusions, imprisonment, and the exile of political opponents?
- Why is ECOWAS more prompt to react against military coups d’état yet tolerates institutional coups, as witnessed in Côte d’Ivoire in 2020, Guinea in 2021, Bénin in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and other countries?
- Is the restoration of President Mohamed Bazoum’s power more valuable than the lives of thousands of Nigerien civilians and ECOWAS contingent soldiers who might perish?
- What would be Niger’s future after such a conflict?
- The populations of the ECOWAS region no longer trust our organization, which they describe as a
