Benin: surprise visit by Romuald Wadagni to Parakou military camp with Mirador operation troops

Carried out without prior announcement, this immersion alongside the troops allowed the head of state to assess the security situation and the challenges on the ground in northern Benin.

Welcomed by military staff and officers on duty, President Wadagni held a frank exchange about the soldiers’ living and working conditions, their level of equipment and operational needs.

On this occasion, the military hierarchy presented an update on the system, highlighting the results achieved as well as the difficulties encountered during security missions.

This unexpected presence of the country’s top authority was warmly welcomed by the troops.

Launched in January 2022, Operation Mirador is the main pillar of Benin’s military strategy against security threats. Its main goals are:

• Monitoring the northern borders to prevent infiltration by armed groups.
• Defending the national territory’s integrity through a stronger deployment of intervention forces.
• Developing civil-military actions for local populations, including the construction of water and school infrastructure and the organisation of medical consultations, to strengthen social cohesion in northern communes.