France has confirmed its involvement in assisting Benin’s government in quashing a recent coup attempt. The French presidency announced on Tuesday that Paris provided logistical and intelligence support to the Beninese armed forces after the attempted coup occurred late last week.
According to the Élysée Palace, the assistance was provided at the direct request of Benin’s authorities and included surveillance, monitoring, and logistical support. This support was instrumental in countering the coup plot targeting President Patrice Talon.
The French presidency further stated that President Emmanuel Macron personally led efforts to coordinate and exchange information with other countries in the region. Paris emphasized its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation to address threats to stability in West Africa.
Sources within the Élysée revealed that Macron held discussions on Sunday with Benin’s President Talon, as well as leaders from Nigeria and Sierra Leone, the latter of which currently holds the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOWAS played a crucial role in mobilizing a swift military response to support the Beninese government in the face of the coup attempt.
These developments occur amidst a backdrop of increasing military coups in the Sahel region and West Africa in recent years, raising concerns about the spread of instability to other nations. France’s intervention in Benin is viewed as a political signal reaffirming its continued presence in the region, despite a decline in influence in some neighboring countries following troop withdrawals from Mali and Niger.
Observers suggest that French support reflects Paris’s desire to maintain its security partnerships in West Africa, particularly with countries it considers allies in confronting security and terrorist threats. The incident also highlights the growing role of ECOWAS in addressing attempts to undermine constitutional order, amid calls for enhanced regional and international cooperation to ensure political stability across the continent.
DZWatch will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.
