Benin President Romuald Wadagni Launches Active Diplomatic Tour in West Africa

President Romuald Wadagni assumed office on 24 May 2026 and, within his first month, formed a new government, allocated a billion CFA francs for emergency health needs, made secondary education free for girls and expanded university transport services. Leveraging his finance background, he immediately turned to foreign policy, undertaking a rapid regional tour that covered eight West African neighbors – Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali and Guinea‑Bissau – within two weeks. The visits aim to position Benin as a mediator between ECOWAS and the Sahel Alliance and to strengthen economic and security cooperation. Concrete outcomes include Niger’s pledge to reopen its border with Benin, reviving vital transit to the port of Cotonou, progress on transport and trade with Burkina Faso, and reinforced economic and security ties with Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.