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Ph/DR: The Deputy Secretary General of the Government, Spokesman of the Government, Mr. Wilfried Léandre HOUNGBÉDJI,
West Africa has been shaken in recent years by untimely coups d’etat which put
damage the constitutional order in the countries concerned
The Deputy Secretary General of the Government, Spokesperson for the Government, Mr. Wilfried Léandre HOUNGBÉDJI, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin, Mr. Olushegun ADJADI BAKARI, hosted a joint press conference on Friday August 04, 2023 at the Yellow River room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cotonou. Several topics were on the agenda, including those relating to ECOWAS decisions on the hostage-taking that took place in Niger. Above all, this speech made it possible to clarify Benin’s position in this crisis.
Media professionals from several African countries took part in the said press conference with various and varied questions to which the two speakers provided adequate answers.
West Africa has been shaken in recent years by untimely coups which undermine the constitutional order in the countries concerned. Faced with the instability that this unfortunate scourge engenders for the countries of the sub-regional space and for Africa in general, the Conference of Heads of State of ECOWAS member countries has decided to take the bull by the horns. to signal the end of the mess. From their meeting in Abuja in Nigeria, several ways out were proposed to the soldiers who overthrew the democratically elected president of Niger but also several strong sanctions against Niger. What most caught the attention of media professionals was the military option that ECOWAS is considering in the event of the failure of negotiations with the Nigerien putschists.
From the comments of the speakers, it appears that the peaceful approach of ECOWAS is to preserve the States and especially for the safety of the elected officials: “Anyone with a Kalashnikov can decide to take power overnight. It’s not good. This instability is not a productive instability, generating development”, indicated Mr. Olushegun ADJADI BAKARI, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin.
And for the Spokesman of the Government of Benin, Mr. Wilfried Léandre HOUNGBÉDJI, each socio-political actor must know how to stay on his side and do what is his responsibility. “The responsibility of elected officials is to administer states, to apply governance programs that improve the conditions of populations. The responsibility of the military is to defend the integrity of the national territory, to ensure the security of countries. The soldiers themselves know that the solution is not in coups d’etat”.
It is not simply a coup d’etat but worse a hostage taking. This is unacceptable according to the speakers. “The position of ECOWAS to which Benin subscribes is very clear. President Mohamed BAZOUM is the democratically elected President of Niger and is the only one we recognize. All that ECOWAS is asking for is the reinstatement of President BAZOUM as President of the Republic. It is not about exfiltration but it is about resettlement”they say.
ECOWAS favors dialogue.
The military option remains the very last in the event of failure to restore constitutional order in Niger, points out the Government Spokesperson. And in the face of the intoxication that certain people are spreading by making people believe that the happiness of our African States depends on others, Wilfried Léandre HOUNGBÉDJI appeals: “I want us to help our African populations to understand that it is all the same dangerous that in the 21st century, Africans are the only ones on earth to think that it is this or that power that would act to make them happy or not. African populations must understand that if others are at the level they are, it is because they have worked for it. The only way for us too is to make the same efforts to get there and not to think that our happiness depends on this or that country. This is not true at all”.
In the current context, this is not a personal opinion on the part of a State, but rather the interest of all ECOWAS Member States. This is why the speakers indicated that the decisions of ECOWAS are those of Benin and just like the other countries, Benin will implement all the decisions resulting from the Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.
And for those who believe that these ECOWAS decisions are dictated by foreign powers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was clear: “The Conference of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS member countries is a sovereign conference. The Heads of State met behind closed doors. They made decisions behind closed doors without any outside intervention.”
On Benin’s commitment in the event of a military option, the Government Spokesperson hopes that the soldiers responsible for the hostage-taking will listen to reason and accept the outstretched hand of ECOWAS. But Wilfried Léandre HOUNGBÉDJI reassured that in case of military intervention which would be decided by ECOWAS, Benin will show its commitment in due time.
In the event of movement of the Nigerien population towards Benin, the speakers reassured that the Government of Benin will take all its responsibilities.
Other topics filled the conference to the great satisfaction of media professionals. (Source: Gov.bj)
