SENEGAL, BENIN UNITE TO RESET REGIONAL COOPERATION IN WEST AFRICA

Senegal’s President Faye and Benin’s President Talon pledge stronger ties and bold reforms to revitalize ECOWAS and UEMOA amid growing regional challenges.

Africa Senegalese Benin Leadershp Coorperation Reforms Strong bilateral ties Economic boost.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Benin President Patrice Talon
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Benin President Patrice Talon



In a decisive show of leadership, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his Beninese counterpart, President Patrice Talon, have united voices in Cotonou to call for a reinvention of West Africa’s key regional institutions, urging urgent reforms to strengthen the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).

The high-level meeting, which marked President Faye’s first official visit to Benin, comes at a turbulent moment for both blocs. With internal rifts deepening and questions surrounding institutional relevance and unity mounting, both leaders made it clear that the status quo can no longer hold.

President Talon hailed the visit as a renewal of West African solidarity, noting the symbolism of the timing just days before Benin’s Independence Day. “This meeting is a sign of fraternity, not just between Benin and Senegal, but for all of West Africa,” he said.

While affirming strong bilateral ties, the two heads of state acknowledged the need to significantly boost economic collaboration between their nations. Discussions also delved into the deteriorating security environment in parts of the region, with President Faye expressing Senegal’s solidarity with Benin following recent terrorist attacks in the north.

Beyond bilateral matters, their joint statement carried broader regional weight. The presidents pledged to work closely with other West African leaders to revive UEMOA and reimagine ECOWAS into a more responsive, inclusive body. Their remarks follow Burkina Faso’s recent clash with the UEMOA Council of Ministers over a denied leadership bid, which led to a walkout by member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The meeting also follows the latest ECOWAS summit, where a ministerial troika was formed to negotiate a framework for post-exit engagement with AES countries, as divisions within the bloc continue to widen.

In Cotonou, however, Presidents Faye and Talon signaled hope. Their call was not only for reform but for a new era of West African leadership, one rooted in trust, pragmatism, and collective resilience.

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