Belgium steps up support for Benin’s army
The Belgian defence ministry will significantly scale up its aid to the Beninese army, both in terms of capacity building and operational support. That announced defence minister Theo Francken on Monday during a visit to Belgian troops in the port city of Cotonou, en route to a mining fair in Cape Town, South Africa.
Belgium has had a military presence in Benin for some time, but is now stepping up its support. “Like other countries in the Gulf of Guinea, Benin is confronted with armed jihadist groups that are destabilising its northern region,” minister Francken explained.
That is why Belgium will send a training detachment several times this year to train the special units of the Beninese army's National Guard. Later this year, the ministry of defence will also participate in Exercise Flintlock, a United States-led exercise in Ivory Coast, Ghana and Mauritania. This will take place during a ten-week operation, in close cooperation with Benin's elite troops.
"We are the only Western military force to have our own logistics hub at Cotonou airport"
Francken emphasises the particular importance of Benin for Belgium. "This is a relatively stable country in a crucial location for Belgium. We are the only Western military force to have our own logistics hub at Cotonou airport. And we also have one in the port. From here, we can operate our A400Ms (military transport aircraft, ed.) throughout Africa to supply our detachments. We can also use this infrastructure to evacuate our compatriots should a crisis situation arise anywhere on the continent," he explained.
Belgian Chief of Defence Frederik Vansina with Beninese soldiers © BELGA PHOTO LOUISE DELVAUX
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