Benin is a Country in Africa
Benin is a country in Africa. Benin has lifted its suspension of imports of goods transiting to Niger through the port of Cotonou. The port’s general director announced this in a statement on Wednesday 27 December 2023, after five months of blockade. This blockade was in response to the Coup D’état in Niger.
Table of Contents
- The Country Niger
- Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Looking For Port
- Toppling of Bazoum’s Government
- ECOWAS Reaction to Niger After Coup
- Benin’ Port Not Accessible to Niger
- Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso
- Why African Presidents Stand Against The Coup in Niger
- Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Are Fighting Neocolonialism
- Morocco Open’s Its Port to Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso
- Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Show Appreciation to Morocco
- Benin Later Opened Its Port to Niger.
- One Reason Why Benin Opened Its Port to Niger
- Anotherf Reason Why Benin Opened Its Port to Niger
So what happened? Why did Benin close its port to Niger? Why does Niger needs Benin’s port?
Map of Niger
The Country Niger
Niger is a beautiful country. Even thought it is extremely hot. As you can see from the map above. Niger does not have access to a port. As you would know many countries need access to the sea in order to export and import goods. Exporting and importing by air is more expensive. But by sea it is cheaper
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Looking For Port
A country like Niger same as many other countries in Africa such as Mali and Burkina Faso are countries inside the continent of Africa. These countries don’t have a face to the sea. Therefore they need other African countries to allow them to import through their ports at a lower rate.
Macron and Bazoum
Toppling of Bazoum’s Government
Five months ago Niger decided to topple the their own government because they found out that the government of Bazoum was not working for the interest of the people of Niger. Bazoum was topple and not harmed.
The Niger Military Junta
ECOWAS Reaction to Niger After Coup
The community of African presidents of ECOWAS were not happy about the military coup d’état in Niger. This community blockaded Niger. Niger was not allowed access to ports. Niger could not import food or anything from the neighboring countries port any more.
Benin and Niger Presidents
Benin’ Port Not Accessible to Niger
Benin that was previously cooperating with Niger to export and import through their port, refused to let Niger continue to have access to their port.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso
There are three countries in Africa that are doing the very same thing. These countries have kicked out there government and other African countries are not happy with this. These countries are Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
Why African Presidents Stand Against The Coup in Niger
In Africa it is common practice that when you become president, you become rich. Nobody checks you. Not the tax man, not the justice man, absolutely nobody checks you. Because you are the boss. So many African presidents become presidents to enrich themselves. If countries that have dictators as leader, find their fellow dictators being topple, What will be their reaction? They will stand against it and say it is undemocratic. But in reality, they are standing against it, so that it will not inspire their own people to topple them as well. It is more of a defense mechanism.
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Are Fighting Neocolonialism
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali are the countries that are right now fighting very hard to liberate themselves from colonialism and neocolonialism. Other African countries are not happy with that.
Map Showing Morocco, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso
Morocco Open’s Its Port to Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso
Now the good news is a few day ago, the King of Morocco did something. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso used to use the south as an outrance, as an exit point, as an access point for import and export through other African nations. Now these other African nation don’t like Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali any more because they decided to topple their own president. In order to lead their own country to do things fairly for everybody. Morocco as you can see in the map above. Decided to provide access to the sea for Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. Since other fellow neighboring African countries refused to grant access.
The King of Morocco
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso Show Appreciation to Morocco
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali sent their delegated to Morocco to appreciate the King for his gesture of generosity and also to express their willingness to work with the King of Morocco. One day later after this, guess what happened. Benin come forward and offer to open their port to Niger. Just right after the Moroccan King offered Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso access to its port.
Sea Port
Benin Later Opened Its Port to Niger.
Now let us find out why Benin is running towards Niger to open its port to Niger. It seems Benin was pressured into blocking Niger from accessing its port. Pressured by the powers that be, France.
One Reason Why Benin Opened Its Port to Niger
One of the reason why Benin wants to open its port is because Benin is suffering. As it is no more making money from the import that Niger was doing. Yes, Niger was importing a lot of goods and a lot of money went through Benin. For five months Benin has not been making money like it used to. Because it blockaded Niger. This is as Benin is part of ECOWAS. Benin has been suffering from punishing Niger.
Niger’s Big Project of Oil Export
Anotherf Reason Why Benin Opened Its Port to Niger
Second reason why Benin wants to open up its port to Niger is this. Niger has a very very big project of exporting oil. Niger is very poor. But it has tremendous amount of minerals. They have lithium and gold. Oil was just discover in Niger. Niger is an enclave. Obviously it is not by the sea. They have to find a way out to the sea to export the oil. The country they chose to export the oil through was Benin before. Benin was going to benefit tremendously from the project.
Niger Oil Project
They invested about 7 billion dollars into this project. Benin has been think about the money to be made. They don’t want to miss the money from the port and also miss the money from the oil project. So they decided to walk back their decision of blocking Niger from their port.
Niger Oil Project Piping
Niger is one of the poorest state in the world. But it became an oil producer in 2011. The black gold is extracted by China National Petroleum. So initially, Niger had planned to evacuate its crude oil through the Cameroonian port of Kirby via the neighboring Chad before opting for the Benin corridor launched in 2019. The project was supposed to be completed in 2022. But the COVID-19 pandemic slowed it down.
Again thanks to the King of Morocco. One thing triggers another.
God Bless.
