Presidential Election 2026 in Benin: Wadagni, Talon's chosen successor, makes an announcement regarding the ESA countries

In Benin, Romuald Wadagni, the Talon camp's candidate for the presidential election next April, presented his platform on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the Cotonou Convention Center. During this presentation, the current Minister of Economy and Finance outlined the actions he intends to take in the security sector should he be elected on the evening of April 12, 2026. He stated that he would mobilize resources to equip the Defense and Security Forces with "state-of-the-art equipment."

"If our neighbors do not cooperate more with us, we will temporarily shift the (security) problem."

They will now be able to see "to within a few centimeters what is happening at our borders. We will allow them to anticipate the approaching enemy, to be reactive when we are attacked," said the minister-candidate.

He also promised to work to ease tensions between Benin and the countries of the AES for better collaboration in the security field.

"The third element on the security point is that of the relationship with our neighboring countries. If we do not collaborate more with our neighboring countries, if our neighbors do not collaborate more with us, we will temporarily shift the (security) problem, but it will come back to us," the national finance minister assured.

"We will once again reach out to some of our neighbors who struggle to trust us."

He advocates for the establishment of a dialogue with these countries that have strained relations with Benin.

“We must talk, we must address these security challenges together, we have no choice. We will seize the opportunity of the renewal at the head of state to reach out again to some of our neighbors who are struggling to trust us,” said Romuald Wadagni.

The minister-candidate hopes that, if elected, he will ease tensions between his country and the ESA. It remains to be seen whether the member states of the Confederation will accept his offer of reconciliation. His only potential obstacle will be his ties to current President Talon, a relationship that countries like Niger find deeply resentful.