Benin’s President Talon Urges Stronger Regional Integration Amid ECOWAS Crisis

President Patrice Talon of the Republic of Benin has urged West African leaders to deepen regional integration, despite ongoing challenges and internal crises affecting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Speaking during a high-level engagement in Abuja, Talon emphasized the importance of maintaining unity and collective progress in the face of recent political instability, economic disruptions, and security threats within the region.

“We must not allow the setbacks and current crisis in ECOWAS to define our trajectory,” President Talon declared. “Now is the time to reaffirm our commitment to regional solidarity and integration.”

His comments come amid growing tension within ECOWAS, following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the bloc, as well as internal divisions over responses to coups, economic sanctions, and the perceived erosion of democratic values.

Talon advocated for renewed efforts to strengthen economic ties, promote free movement of people and goods, and build shared security frameworks that benefit all member states. He warned that a fractured region would only deepen poverty, insecurity, and isolation for millions of West Africans.

The Beninese president’s remarks were widely seen as a call for dialogue, inclusion, and reform within ECOWAS to preserve its founding vision of cooperation, peace, and prosperity.

Observers say Talon’s leadership position may serve as a unifying voice at a time when the regional bloc is struggling to hold its ground against mounting political and economic headwinds.

As ECOWAS leaders prepare for upcoming summits, the future of West African integration hangs in the balance, with President Talon’s intervention adding momentum to the push for stability and unity.