Border opening: the committee of Nigerien experts briefs Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine.

After staying in Benin from June 20 to 21 as part of the second round of bilateral negotiations, the Nigerien national expert committee was received this Monday, June 22, 2026, by Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine. The delegation, led by the Minister of State for the Interior, Public Security, and Territorial Administration, General Division Mohamed Toumba, formally presented the results of the discussions held with the Beninese side to the head of government.

Despite the firmness of Niamey’s demands, dialogue is progressing towards a favorable outcome. The two countries are currently working on formalizing three distinct agreements.

These documents, whose final signature will condition the effective reopening of the common border that has been hermetically closed since the events of July 2023, aim to restore political trust and secure bilateral economic exchanges.

Absolute and Inflexible Security Demands

General Mohamed Toumba reiterated the firm stance of the Nigerien transition. The set of demands presented to the Beninese authorities is based on strategic security locks deemed vital for the sovereignty of Niger:

• ​A non-aggression treaty: Requirement for a defense and security agreement enshrining the absolute principle of not using one state’s territory to conduct hostile actions against the other.
• ​Military transparency: Request for total clarity on the nature and deployment of foreign military forces stationed near the Nigerien border.
• ​Intelligence sharing: Immediate creation of a joint intelligence unit to coordinate efforts against the cross-border terrorist threat.

“Our mandate is firm, our demand is total and must not be negotiable, as they concern the survival of our states and the security of our populations,” reminded the Nigerien Minister of State.

On the Cotonou side, the quality of the exchanges has been praised for its positive nature. The Beninese delegation committed to faithfully report these proposals to President Patrice Talon, thus paving the way for an imminent resolution of this major border crisis.