Benin and United Arab Emirates reinforce bilateral defense and security partnership

The bilateral relationship between Benin and the United Arab Emirates is entering a more active phase, particularly in the critical sectors of national defense and security.

The newly appointed Emirati Ambassador, Hazza Mohamed Alqahtani, held a strategic meeting with Gildas Agonkan, the Minister Delegate to the President of the Republic in charge of National Defense. This encounter served as an opportunity to outline the diplomat’s mission objectives and explore new avenues for bilateral collaboration.

During their discussions, the diplomat praised the robustness of the existing security partnership and reaffirmed the commitment of the United Arab Emirates to support Benin in safeguarding its territory.

Beninese expectations for a modernized military force

For his part, Minister Gildas Agonkan welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that this strategic cooperation aligns perfectly with the vision of the government of President Romuald Wadagni. This vision aims to construct a highly professional, resilient, and technologically advanced army capable of addressing contemporary security threats.

While reaffirming the commitment of Benin to stand alongside the United Arab Emirates, given their significant geostrategic influence in the Gulf region, the minister expressed Benin’s desire to leverage the military expertise of Abu Dhabi.

This anticipated collaboration will focus heavily on specialized instruction, military hardware acquisition, and technological assistance to make this cooperative framework a reality.

Ultimately, both countries resolved to sustain their collective endeavors to foster regional stability, peace, and sustainable growth.