Diplomacy: a French parliamentary delegation is staying in Benin

This visit strengthens an interparliamentary cooperation that is already long-standing and active.

At the Palais des Gouverneurs, discussions focused on the joint projects that have structured the relationship between the two institutions for several years. The talks particularly concerned education, health and the economy, three areas in which the two countries are multiplying joint initiatives.

The coordinator of the friendship group on the Beninese side, the Honorable Natacha Kpochan, plays a decisive role in ensuring the continuity of these projects, partly facilitated by immersion missions regularly carried out by Beninese deputies in France.

The French delegation then visited the chamber before taking part in a working session with the Beninese members of the France–Benin interparliamentary group.

For Christian Baptiste, this trip marks a turning point in his term. It was his first journey to Africa, an opportunity for him to draw up what he called “the inventory of France–Benin friendship” and to assess the progress of ongoing partnerships, notably those carried out with the Faculty of Science and Health.

At the end of the talks, the president of the friendship group praised the quality of the dialogue with his Beninese counterpart. He expressed his admiration for Louis Vlavonou’s “wisdom” and “experience”.

The two leaders converged on a shared vision of democracy, which, they said, must be viewed realistically, taking into account the specific realities of each country.

Christian Baptiste stressed the urgent need to put people back at the center of public policy. In his view, health, education and knowledge are the real levers of development. He said he was “very satisfied” with the depth of the exchanges and the cooperative climate, which he considers exemplary between the two assemblies.