Patrice Talon on the state of relations between Benin and Niger : “As I speak to you, I have not received any clarification or information from our Nigerien brothers in the direction expected by all”

At the end of the audience granted to the Chinese Ambassador to Benin Mr. Peng Jingtao and a delegation from the Chinese company WAPCO, in charge of operating the Niger-Benin pipeline, President Patrice Talon spoke on relations between Benin and its neighbor Niger. Read his response :

Journalist : Mister President, your minister in charge of Mines, M. Don't walk, returned from Niamey yesterday and gave the press an update on his stay in Niger, from which it emerged, if we understand correctly, that the continued closure of the borders by Niger, is not likely to promote efficient implementation of the pipeline agreement. What is it exactly, and could you tell us what mood Benin is in today?, vis-à-vis Niger but also the company WAPCO ?

President Patrice Talon : The situation between Benin and Niger remains an intrigue. About a week ago, the Nigerien authorities contacted us in writing to request the holding of a meeting of the interstate committee for monitoring the oil pipeline. They proposed that the meeting be held in Niger. Benin gave its agreement and I instructed the minister in charge of mines to go there. So he went there last Monday and the three parties, that is to say Benin, Niger and the Chinese company WAPCO, met in Niamey to discuss the ways of normal implementation of the contract for the transit of Nigerien oil through Benin.
Seizing the opportunity of my minister's mission to Niamey, I wrote a letter to the attention of the Nigerien President and mandated Minister ADAMBI to hand it over to him.

Regarding the meeting of the interstate committee, The Benin, through the voice of his minister, this minister is ADAMBI, reiterated the availability of the Beninese administration, especially customs, to collaborate with Nigerien customs for the normal and regular loading of Nigerien oil at the Sèmè terminal, provided that customs transit formalities are possible. I remind you that customs transit formalities are only possible if the passage of goods across borders is permitted.. In other words, if the borders are not open for the formal passage of oil, customs formalities allowing its transit through the territory of Benin are not technically possible.

At least, so that this transit is possible, the Nigerien authorities must officially announce that the closure of their land borders is an exception to oil. Such a clarification would be likely to allow differentiated legal treatment of oil coming from Niger.. In the absence of this minimum, any customs formality for oil transit remains legally impossible between Benin and Niger. These are therefore the clarifications that the Beninese Government has instructed Minister Adambi to provide to our partners in Niamey..

But according to the report he gave me yesterday on his return, It appears that the Nigerien party present at the said meeting did not provide any response to our concerns and is waiting or would wait to receive instructions from its highest authorities. As I speak to you, I have not received any clarification or information from our Nigerien brothers in the direction expected by all.

Better, President TCHIANI did not receive Minister Adambi whom I nevertheless expressly instructed to give him my letter of appeasement and invitation to the reestablishment of fraternity and the free movement of people and goods between Niger and the Benign. More, I can assure you that Benin has spared no effort, of no humility, to allow the restoration of harmony between Niger and Benin.
In a more concrete way and with regard to the two points which were mentioned in Niamey, as it happens, complementary pipeline equipment brought by the Chinese partner and waiting at the Port of Cotonou to be transported to Niger, I want to reaffirm that Benin remains available to grant all possible facilities to the company WAPCO for the effective delivery of said equipment to Niger.
As for the loading of oil at the Sèmè terminal, I am particularly saddened to observe the disappointments suffered by the Chinese partner due to the impossibility of loading the oil due to the lack of customs formalities.
I go around the world to ask everyone to come and invest in Africa, in Benin, because for us, it is the main way for us to develop and here I am witness to what causes the reluctance of investors and which penalizes the attractiveness of our continent. But I remain hopeful that the calming of relations between Niger and Benin cannot delay any longer because there is no reason to justify the distrust and attitude of our brothers in Niger..
The time of protest and sanctions due to the coup taking place in Niger has passed ; this time has passed for everyone and there is nothing that would justify today that the Beninese authorities are not benevolent towards the current Nigerien authorities. But meanwhile, we will seek ways and means to help the Chinese company WAPCO in order to limit its suffering and preserve its interest in Africa. This is what I have to tell you about the situation. Thank you.

SOURCE : BANOUTO