Benin

Benin

March 11, 2024
Benin
Benin is an emergent U.S. security partner in West Africa, a
Figure I. Benin at a Glance
region that has seen a wave of military coups, the spillover
of Islamist insurgent violence from the Sahel, and growing
Russian influence. Democratic backsliding under President
Patrice Talon has complicated U.S. engagement, however.
Benin is a focus country under the U.S. Global Fragility Act
(see below). Benin has also offered 2,000 troops to a U.S.-
backed, Kenyan-led stabilization force planned for Haiti.
Possible issues for Congress include oversight of U.S. aid
and security cooperation amid challenging regional trends.
Politics and Governance
Benin transitioned to multiparty politics in 1990 after
decades of military and one-party rule, leading to a series of
peaceful, competitive elections. President Talon, first
elected in 2016, has instituted a “semi-authoritarian

regime,” however, sidelining the opposition and restricting
Source: CIA World Factbook, IMF; 2023 estimates unless noted.
freedoms of assembly and the press. New candidacy laws
led to the disqualification of all opposition candidates in the
Two U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations are
2019 National Assembly elections. State security forces
reportedly active in northern Benin: a regional Al Qaeda
dispersed protests and arrested opposition politicians ahead
affiliate known as the Group for the Support of Islam and
of the vote. In 2021, Talon won reelection against two little-
Muslims (aka JNIM), and the Islamic State (IS) Sahel
known challengers, after the electoral commission
affiliate. These Sahel-based groups have reportedly
disqualified more prominent candidates. Over 100 people
established a presence in cross-border national parks, where
were arrested during the 2021 elections period, and a
they allegedly “tax” local commerce and engage in
special Court for the Repression of Economic and
smuggling, gold trafficking, and other illicit economic
Terrorism Infractions later sentenced two opposition leaders
activity. U.N. global terrorism monitors have also relayed
to jail “based on virtually no evidence,” according to the
reports that the Islamic State’s Nigeria-based affiliate (IS-
State Department. Authorities have also arrested journalists
West Africa) profits from ivory poaching in Benin. Some
and activists. The U.S.-based organization Freedom House
analysts assert that violence in northern Benin is shifting
downgraded Benin from “Free” to “Partly Free” in 2020.
from a “foreign-based insurgency” to a “nascent civil
conflict,” with JNIM cells increasingly locally embedded.
The government has tentatively reopened some space for
the opposition since 2022. Dozens of opposition supporters
Ethnic and sectarian divisions may elevate risks of conflict
were released from jail that year, and opposition parties
in the north, where Benin’s Muslim minority population is
won 28 out of 109 seats in 2023 National Assembly
concentrated. Some analysts warn that extremists might
elections. The next presidential election is slated for 2026,
leverage grievances among the Peul (Fulani/Fulbe), a
when President Talon will face term limits. Talon has
historically pastoralist, mainly Muslim ethnic group present
pledged not to seek reelection. His predecessor Thomas
across West and Central Africa. Tensions over conservation
Boni Yayi floated constitutional changes that could have
areas—where restricted access has disrupted local
paved the way to a third term, but ultimately stepped down.
livelihoods—appear to provide additional opportunities for
A member of parliament in Talon’s coalition proposed
extremists, who have reportedly opened areas under their
amendments in early 2024 to alter the election timeline, but
control to farming, grazing, and small-scale mining.
these did not garner sufficient support to advance.
Benin’s government has expanded military deployments in
Security
the north, engaged in rapid military recruitment, and sought
Benin reported its first Islamist militant attack in 2019,
to procure military equipment from a range of countries
when two French tourists and their local guide were
including France, Turkey, China, and Russia. Benin also
kidnapped from a national park. (The French military
has pursued bilateral cooperation with Rwanda, which has
rescued the tourists in neighboring Burkina Faso, also
offered to send troops to support counterterrorism. Benin
freeing an American and a South Korean hostage.) The
participates in an African Union-authorized regional
Islamist armed group presence in Benin was previously
military force to combat Nigeria-based Boko Haram and IS-
“temporary, transitory and often limited in nature,” per one
West Africa. About 250 Beninese troops served in the U.N.
analysis. Since then, security conditions near Benin’s
peacekeeping operation in Mali prior to its closure in late
northern borders have deteriorated; some 150 violent
2023; smaller numbers of Beninese personnel continue to
incidents were reported in 2023.
serve in other U.N. missions.
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Benin
Economy and Development Challenges
Former colonial ruler France remains a key partner, unlike
Benin is Africa’s leading cotton producer, and cotton is its
in some West African countries. France has increased
top export by far, followed by cashews. Benin’s economy
counterterrorism support for Benin as juntas in the Sahel
has seen strong growth, expanding by 5.5% in 2023; the
have forced the withdrawal of French troops; the European
IMF projects 6.3% growth in 2024. Informal trade is
Union agreed in 2023 to provide reconnaissance aircraft to
reportedly widespread: Nigeria’s decision in 2023 to end
the country. Recent French diplomatic cooperation has
domestic fuel subsidies reportedly led to a spike in black-
included the return of some artwork and cultural items
market fuel prices in Benin. As of early 2024, Benin was
looted from Benin during the colonial period.
one of seven countries that had signed, but not ratified, the
U.S. Relations and Foreign Assistance
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.
The State Department characterizes U.S.-Benin ties as
(Forty-seven countries have ratified it.)
“generally excellent,” while noting that “the space for
Benin is among the world’s least developed countries,
pluralism, dissent, and free expression narrowed” during
President Talon’s first term.
ranking 166 out of 191 on the 2022 U.N. Human
While U.S. officials criticized
Development Index (latest). One in five Beninese live
the 2019 National Assembly elections and expressed
below the international poverty line and nearly 10% face
concern about the 2021 presidential election process, the
food insecurity. Poverty rates are highest in the north,
U.S. Embassy in Benin welcomed the 2023 National
Assembly elections as “inclusive.”
where access to primary education, clean water, and

sanitation is also limited. Women and girls face large gaps
The State Department and U.S. Agency for International
in literacy and other educational and economic benchmarks.
Development allocated $41 million in bilateral aid to Benin
Women in Benin have among the world’s highest birth and
in FY2022, with $42 million proposed for FY2024. FY2023
maternal mortality rates (3rd and 13th, respectively).
data are not yet public. Nearly all bilateral funds support
Foreign Relations
health programs, including the President’s Malaria
President Talon has participated in efforts by the Economic
Initiative. In 2023, Benin completed its second Millennium
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to push for
Challenge Corporation (MCC) aid compact, a five-year
a return to elected civilian rule in four West African states
$375 million program to expand access to electricity. In
that have had military coups since 2020 (most recently
2022, the MCC signed a concurrent regional compact for
Niger, in 2023). ECOWAS initially threatened, but did not
the development of a trade corridor between Benin and
carry out, a military intervention to reverse the coup in
Niger. The MCC allocated $202 million for Benin under the
Niger, to which Benin pledged troops. After Niger, Mali,
project, having previously announced that it would
and Burkina Faso stated plans to leave ECOWAS in early
“significantly reduce” planned funds for Benin due to
2024, ECOWAS shifted tack and lifted economic sanctions
democratic backsliding. In 2023, the MCC suspended the
on Niger. The sanctions had affected Benin’s economy and
Niger portion due to the coup in that country.
security cooperation with Niger, leading President Talon in
The Biden Administration has identified five coastal West
late 2023 to call for relations with Niger to be “quickly
African countries, including Benin, as a focus for assistance
reestablished.” The junta in Niger has reportedly
under the Global Fragility Act (GFA, Title V of Division
maintained border restrictions that continue to hamper trade
J, P.L. 116-94), which aims to bolster resilience to security
with Benin. President Talon, jointly with the leaders of
and governance challenges. The Administration’s GFA plan
Togo and Sierra Leone, has been designated by ECOWAS
for coastal West Africa seeks to “prevent the destabilizing
to engage with Niger on a political transition roadmap.
expansion of terrorism and violent extremism” from the
The People’s Republic of China (PRC/China) is a top trade
Sahel, by strengthening social cohesion and enhancing the
partner, and PRC entities have financed infrastructure
responsiveness and accountability of state institutions and
projects in Benin. Benin signed a cooperation agreement
security forces. Planned activities in the region would
under China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2019. President
support, e.g., conflict mediation, state service delivery,
Talon met with China’s President Xi Jinping in China in
community radio, journalist training, and youth livelihoods.
2023, and both pledged to elevate ties to a “strategic
partnership.” Also in 2023, China reportedly agreed to
Benin receives U.S. security assistance through regional
partially cancel Benin’s debt. A new China National
and global programs, including the State Department-led
Petroleum Corporation-operated pipeline, connecting oil
Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) and
fields in Niger to Benin’s port of Seme, came online in
the Defense Department’s global train and equip program
March 2024. Some surveys indicate that a growing number
under 10 U.S.C. §333. The North Dakota National Guard
of Beninese favor China’s development model over that of
has a State Partnership Program with Benin, and Benin has
the United States and that the vast majority view China’s
participated in U.S. military exercises. U.S. special
influence as broadly positive.
operations forces personnel have reportedly advised
Benin has longstanding relations with Russia, although it is
Beninese military forces on counterterrorism operations.
not a major Russian partner in Africa. President Talon has
Following the 2023 coup in Niger, U.S. officials have
criticized Russia’s actions in Ukraine, while declining to
reportedly considered relocating U.S. regional intelligence,
publicly criticize regional deployments by Russia’s Wagner
surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations from
Group, a nominally private military company. (Since
Niger to Benin and other coastal West African countries.
Wagner’s official demise in mid-2023, Russian officials
have pledged to continue Africa deployments under more
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
direct control from Moscow.)
Abigail G. Martin, Research Assistant
IF12609
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Benin

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