The military takeover in Niger on July 26, 2023, swiftly prompted a wave of international responses. Major organizations such as ECOWAS, the African Union, and nations including the United States, France, and Russia, quickly articulated their positions. Within Bénin, the pronouncements from President Patrice Talon and the prospect of an armed intervention have met with considerable disagreement. Western media outlets have suggested that Bénin might commit troops alongside ECOWAS forces to confront the military junta. Numerous stakeholders, notably the Catholic Church and various political figures, have openly expressed their opposition to a military solution, advocating instead for diplomatic channels to resolve the crisis.
Lawmakers from the opposition party, « Les Démocrates », have directly challenged the government on this critical situation, submitting a comprehensive set of 19 urgent questions. Their primary concern revolves around the justification for Bénin’s potential military engagement, particularly given the long-standing fraternal bond between Bénin and Niger. They have also voiced apprehension regarding adherence to the Béninois constitution, the safety of deployed troops, and importantly, the potential for conflict escalation and its far-reaching consequences for civilian populations and for Bénin itself.
Beyond the military aspect, significant economic and diplomatic concerns have also been brought to the forefront. The decision to close borders with Niger could lead to substantial repercussions for the Autonomous Port of Cotonou and the broader Béninois economy, which is already grappling with the effects of ECOWAS sanctions. In light of escalating prices for essential goods and the adverse impact on economic actors, the opposition insists on concrete answers from the government.
Dialogue is emerging as a favored approach for several regional and international parties. The opposition representatives have reminded President Patrice Talon of his own past statements advocating dialogue as an alternative to coups d’état, urging him to implement such an inclusive dialogue within Bénin. The current moment calls for deep reflection, critical questioning, and above all, the pursuit of peaceful and consensual resolutions for the region’s future.
parliamentary inquiry to the government
On July 26, 2023, a military coup d’état occurred in Niger, interrupting the constitutional mandate of President Mohamed Bazoum. This event provoked reactions from various states worldwide and from sub-regional and regional organizations, including ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations. 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.
In response, the government of Bénin, through its various public statements, has indicated its intention to commit Béninois troops to the ECOWAS contingent designated to confront the military junta in power. Considering this governmental decision to involve the Béninois state in a conflict against the sovereign sister nation of Niger, potentially violating Article 101 of our constitution, and acknowledging that the sanctions imposed by the ECOWAS Heads of State conference on July 30, 2023, in Abuja, are already having severe repercussions on our nation’s economic, social, and security landscape, the national assembly, pursuant to Article 108 and its subsections of the National Assembly’s internal rules, formally requests the government to address the following concerns:
- What measures has the government undertaken to consult parliament regarding the deployment of Béninois troops to the ECOWAS operational theater in Niger, should the threatened military option be implemented, in accordance 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 countries, such as France and the United States, have made arrangements for the evacuation of their citizens from Niger. What provisions has the Béninois government made for its citizens residing in Niger?
- Given that Bénin and Niger share a fraternal bond, 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 projected number of Béninois soldiers and the essential logistics that the government intends to provide to the ECOWAS contingent? What is the estimated cost of Bénin’s potential involvement in this operation? Who will bear these expenses?
- In the event of an aggression against the sister nation of Niger, can our government guarantee that no civilian lives in Niger will be affected, 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 tragic event of Béninois soldiers dying in the theater of operations?
- As a country bordering Niger, what assurance can the government provide that, in the event of retaliation by the Nigerian army, there will be no casualties on Béninois 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 was 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 addressing electoral exclusions, imprisonment, and exile of political opponents?
- Why is ECOWAS more inclined to react against military coups d’état while tolerating institutional coups observed in Côte d’Ivoire in 2020, Guinea in 2021, and Bénin in 2019, 2020, and 2021, among 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 become of Niger following such a conflict?
- The populations of the ECOWAS region no longer trust our organization, which they describe as a
