APA-Cotonou (Benin) The Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces paid a visit to Cotonou over the weekend and made clear there was no plan for a military base in the West African nation.
The head of the French army, General Thierry Burkhard was categorical: France has no military bases in Benin, and has no plans to open any.
He made this statement at a joint press conference with his Beninese counterpart, General Fructueux Gbaguidi.
The head of the French military thus denies persistent rumours that Cotonou and Paris have concluded a secret agreement to house French forces in the Sahel, who left Niger after the coup of General Abdourahmane Tiani, in a barracks under construction in northern Benin.
“No, there is no permanent French military base in Benin, there is no permanent French military mission in Benin. There are detachments operated in coordination with the Beninese armed forces in response to expressed needs, where French military personnel come to conduct operational training detachments for a given duration, and when the mission ends, we leave again,” General Burkhard explained.
Echoing the same words, his Beninese counterpart, General Fructueux Gbaguidi, underlined that a military base is decided by two parties.
“Benin has not received a request nor has it made a request to that effect. A military base is physical, with buildings, airfields, aircraft. There are none,” the head of the Beninese army emphasised.
General Gbaguidi pointed out that France is helping Benin to combat terrorism that has overran parts of the north of the country, but made it clear that there are no plans by its former colonial power to set up a military base on Beninese territory as part of this partnership.
The Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces left Cotonou on Saturday evening after meeting the Minister of Defense, Fortune Alain Nouatin.
The high command of the Beninese army stated that General Thierry Burkhard’s visit was part of the military cooperation between Cotonou and Paris.
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