Beninese diplomacy : Nassirou Bako-Arifari disavows the Heel strategy

It's a rare occurrence these days.. A member of the movement who sharply criticizes the choices of the executive. And yet, this is what Nassirou Bako-Arifari did, MP Bloc Republican, a party of the presidential movement. The former Beninese Minister of Foreign Affairs under Boni Yayi confides that he is in a confused and embarrassing situation in the face of certain decisions by the Talon government in connection with Benin's foreign policy.

Professor of sociology at the University of Abomey-Calavi, used the launch of a book to indicate his position on the diplomatic strategy adopted by the regime of rupture since 2016. Boni Yayi's former foreign minister prefaced “Benin's foreign policy. From yesterday to today “, of Marius Fool. A literary work devoted to the Beninese diplomacy of 1960 at 2020. On the occasion of the presentation of the book, Nassirou Bako-Arifari is invited to give his opinion on the new diplomatic map of Benin. Although he is a member of the National Assembly under the banner of the Bloc Républicain, presidential movement party, did not go out of their way to show his disapproval of diplomatic governance. For him, there is glaring inconsistency. "When I say, to carry out such and such a public policy, I need the support of such and such a country, from my point of view, I try to be present to properly defend my cases in these countries”, mentioned Nassirou Bako-Arifari according to the daily La Météo.

According to the former foreign minister, it is not when the need to extend ties with other countries that embassies should be closed while asking for accompaniments. Conclusion according to Nassirou Bako-Arifari, there is “a disconnect between the purpose of domestic public policy and the choice of foreign policy”. He therefore says he is confused “Of the different choices of today, different interviews, We are lost. We do not see the confluence between the choices of closure (embassies) and national public policy priorities in relation to where we are today. We are puzzled", he concludes.

At the advent of Patrice Talon, Benin had 36 diplomatic missions in 2016, but today, all that's left is 13.

Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)