Omanghana
Benin’s President Romuald Wadagni met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Monday, October 5, 2026, as the two countries sought to strengthen cooperation in security, innovation and business.
The visit marked Wadagni’s first official bilateral engagement with Macron since his inauguration on May 24, coming just over four months into his presidency.
Wadagni also attended a dinner of the Africa-France Impact Coalition, which brought together business leaders from France and Africa. The gathering provided an opportunity to discuss commercial partnerships and the private sector’s contribution to economic development.
Macron described relations between France and Benin as rooted in “friendship, trust, and ambition,” emphasising cooperation between equals and greater opportunities for young people.
The engagement comes as France promotes a €23 billion investment initiative announced at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya in May 2026. The package includes €14 billion from French companies and €9 billion from African partners, with investments targeting sectors such as energy transition, agriculture and artificial intelligence.
The initiative reflects a growing emphasis on joint investment, technological development and business partnerships in France’s engagement with African countries. Youth entrepreneurship and innovation feature prominently in that approach.
For Benin, the discussions offered an opportunity to deepen commercial ties with France and explore a role in the wider investment programme. However, the reported €23 billion commitment covers partnerships across Africa and does not represent funding allocated exclusively to Benin.
Source: Omanghana
