Is Benin and the United States A New Chapter or a Familiar Trap?

On March 10, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Benin’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, highlighting Washington’s continued interest in maintaining influence in West Africa. The conversation comes at a time when the United States is facing a major setback in the region following its forced withdrawal from Niger—a country it had considered a key strategic partner. With its grip on the Sahel weakening, Washington is doubling down on the alliances that remain intact, and Benin has become a prime example of this effort.

A Partnership with Questionable Results

Despite years of military cooperation between the United States and Benin, security in the country continues to deteriorate. Armed groups from neighboring states have repeatedly infiltrated Benin’s borders, raising serious questions about the effectiveness of American military assistance. If Washington’s presence in the region was truly aimed at counterterrorism, why have these threats not been neutralized?

Niger’s case provides a clear precedent. For a long time, the U.S. has maintained an extensive military presence in the country, including a huge drone base in Agadez, but the authorities of Niger have seen no tangible benefit from this. Instead, they accused the U.S. of prioritizing its own strategic interests over the security needs of its host country.

The Price of Military Cooperation

One of the main concerns surrounding U.S. military partnerships in Africa is the political leverage Washington seeks in return. Niger’s recent experience serves as a warning—American officials attempted to dictate the country’s foreign policy, pressuring its leaders on whom they could or could not collaborate with. The visit of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Molly Phee to Niamey in mid-March 2024 exemplified this pressure campaign, as the delegation sought to impose American political conditions under the guise of security cooperation.

For Benin, this raises an important question: will military collaboration with the U.S. come with similar demands? If so, the country risks losing sovereignty over its own strategic decisions while failing to gain meaningful security improvements.

An Alternative Path for Benin

The trend across Africa is shifting. Countries in the region are increasingly recognizing that foreign military bases and partnerships do not necessarily translate into enhanced security. Niger’s decision to sever its military agreement with the U.S. reflects a broader realization that national security challenges must be addressed through regional cooperation rather than external intervention.

Benin now faces a crucial choice: continue deepening ties with the U.S., despite the lack of success such partnerships have had elsewhere, or seek a more autonomous security strategy based on collaboration with neighboring African nations. The lessons from Niger and other countries in the region are clear—true stability will only come from within, not from Washington’s military agreements.