The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigeriens Abroad, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, met with his Beninese counterpart, Olou Ségou Adjadi Bakary, on the sidelines of the 2024 Sino-African Cooperation Forum Summit in Beijing to discuss bilateral cooperation between their countries.
During their meeting in Beijing, the foreign ministers of Benin and Niger discussed the ongoing normalization of relations under the leadership of their respective heads of state, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two delegations welcomed the presentation, on August 6, 2024, of the figurative copies of the credentials of the new Beninese ambassador to the Republic of Niger and the forthcoming convening, on a mutually agreed date, of the 12th session of the Niger-Benin Joint Cooperation Commission.
"The Nigerien side also expressed its security concerns, which are delaying the reopening of the border between the two countries, in line with previous discussions,” the statement added.
For its part, the Beninese delegation reiterated the authorities’ willingness to work toward the swift restoration of cooperation and the strengthening of trust between the two countries.
The statement also noted that both sides agreed to continue discussions between the authorities of the two countries, particularly during the upcoming meeting in New York on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.