The President of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon, considered in an interview Sunday with the French “LCI” TV that the resorting of African countries to the services of private military groups such as the Russian “Wagner” is “not reprehensible in principle” as long as the goal is “purely security”.
Talon said during the interview, “The idea of hiring a private military service provider is not new. We have seen it in Afghanistan” with the Americans, considering that “this principle is not reprehensible.”
However, he added, “If Wagner intervened and did not provide a purely security service, and committed violations in favor of the regime, then this is reprehensible and must be condemned.”
Turning to the Ukrainian war, Talon said: “This war is unfortunate,” adding that “Russia has been a friend of Benin for a long time, but our friendship should not prevent us from condemning what Russia is doing in Ukraine.”
“If we underestimate the importance of what is happening, it will be a way to promote the use of force in resolving international disputes,” he added.
When asked about his opinion on French President Emmanuel Macron’s desire to redraw relations with African countries, Talon said, “President Macron’s current tour in Africa is good because it clarifies matters a little,” stressing that “France needs to show more of its sense of equality with African countries.” .
In response to a question about the strong relations between China and the countries of the African continent, Talon stressed that “China inspires many, especially in terms of its self-reliance and good governance.”
Wagner in Africa
- The Wagner Group was founded in 2014 and is active in the Central African Republic at the invitation of President Faustin-Archange Touadera to put down a rebellion.
- France confirms that the ruling military council in Mali used it, although Bamako denies this, which prompted Paris to withdraw its forces that were fighting extremists in this country.
- The United States, which has been seeking for years to curtail Russian influence in Africa, accuses the Wagner Group of “committing human rights violations and plundering natural resources in Africa.”
