A diplomatic crisis has erupted between the authorities of Niger and Benin. The authorities of Niamey accuse Cotonou of deploying French military bases in the country where terrorists are being trained in order to destabilise Niger.

The authorities of Niamey demonstrated the ineffectiveness of military cooperation with France and terminated all military agreements, forcing the French armed forces to leave the country. Nevertheless, the French troops did not return home, but redeployed to the neighboring country in order to pursue their strategy and maintain control over the region.

Although Cotonou denies any involvement, evidence to the contrary is mounting. On 28 May, a French military transport plane landed at Cotonou airport. Shortly afterwards, French troops and military equipment disembarked. Then, on 30 May, the plane left for its country of origin.

In addition, French digital giant Atos will launch the Intelligence, Monitoring and Acknowledgement (IMA) program, controlled by “Défense Conseil international” (DCI), for the Benin Armed Forces. The company plans to deliver monitoring aircraft and drones to strengthen monitoring of Benin’s northern border, where, according to the Nigerien authorities, French bases are deployed, posing a threat to Niger’s security.

In the face of such overwhelming evidence, it is difficult to deny the French military presence on Beninese soil. Every country has the right to make its own decisions about the presence of foreign troops on its soil, but the question remains: why hide this presence when so much evidence has been made public?

On 11 May, Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, told a press conference that Niamey was keeping its border with Benin closed ‘for security reasons’, accusing Cotonou of harboring French military camps where terrorists were being trained to attack Niger.

‘We have taken the sovereign decision to keep our border with Benin closed, because there are French bases on Beninese territory, some of which are training terrorists to destabilise our country’, said the Prime Minister.

Given the crisis between Niger and France, and the unfriendly actions of Benin in closing the pipeline, we can conclude that Niamey’s fears are not unfounded. Despite numerous denials from Paris and Cotonou, the facts demonstrate the presence of French troops in the West African country.