President Romuald Wadagni of Bénin travelled to Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday, 24 June, for a working visit to the headquarters of European Union institutions. The goal was to establish the foundations of a modernised partnership between his country and the EU, designed to address new development challenges.
He held successive meetings with key EU leaders, including European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
During the working session with Costa, both sides discussed major areas of bilateral cooperation, aiming to give fresh momentum to a relationship built on trust, stability and shared objectives, according to a statement from the Bénin presidency.
Talks between Wadagni and von der Leyen focused on prospects for deepening the EU-Bénin partnership. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating cooperation across several strategic sectors.
They identified three key priorities. The first is economic transformation and innovation, with emphasis on industrialisation, job creation, development of the Cotonou port economic corridors, local agricultural processing, and youth vocational training.
The second priority is territorial development and security in northern Bénin, which includes increased support for local communities to combat violent extremism by strengthening basic infrastructure and access to economic opportunities.
The third priority is sustainable finance, linked to the Global Green Bond Initiative — a mechanism to facilitate funding for sustainable infrastructure in renewable energy, transport and agriculture.
Von der Leyen highlighted that “Bénin is a key partner of the European Union in West Africa. This relationship is founded on mutual trust and a shared determination to improve quality of life for all.”
For the Bénin presidency, the strengthened partnership also aims to position Bénin as a regional hub for growth, connectivity and investment in West Africa.
