Canada inaugurates first resident embassy in Benin, deepening bilateral ties

On 5 August 2026 Canada opened its first resident embassy in Cotonou, ending a 64‑year period of non‑resident diplomatic representation in Benin. The ceremony was attended by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, who was on her first African visit, and Benin’s foreign minister Corinne Amori Brunet.

The two governments signed a memorandum of understanding on political and diplomatic consultations and pledged to cooperate on security, trade, investment and regional issues such as maritime piracy. Bilateral trade was reported to have risen 77 % between 2024 and 2025, reaching about CAD 77.1 million.

Canada also announced new development assistance, including more than CAD 25 million for modernising the Port of Cotonou, CAD 11.5 million for women’s leadership, clean energy and school‑meal programmes, and CAD 2 million for violence‑risk awareness and technical training.