Russia and Benin are finalizing an intergovernmental military cooperation agreement that is expected to significantly deepen Moscow’s strategic foothold in West Africa.
On Thursday, Russian Ambassador to Benin and Togo, Igor Evdokimov, confirmed the development in an interview with Russian media. “Russia and Benin are preparing to sign an intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation,” he said. “Cooperation in the field of defense and security remains one of the priority areas of Russian-Beninese and Russian-Togolese relations. This is primarily due to our mutual interest in countering threats posed by terrorist and extremist groups destabilizing the situation in the countries of West Africa and the Sahara-Sahel region.”
The agreement will reportedly cover a range of initiatives, including joint military exercises, training of Beninese forces by Russian personnel, and the provision of medical assistance to Benin’s military.
Evdokimov also revealed that the deal includes port-of-call rights for Russian naval vessels in Benin—a provision similar to one Russia recently secured with neighboring Togo. These new maritime arrangements mark a strategic expansion of Russia’s operational reach in the region.
Since 2022, Russia has significantly increased its presence across West Africa, stepping into the vacuum left by French and American forces that have withdrawn or been expelled from several former colonies, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast. Moscow has emerged as the primary external military partner for many Sahelian governments, offering assistance in combating terrorist and jihadist groups that continue to threaten regional stability.
While there are still French troops in Benin, there has been increasing protests in the country regarding the presence of French troops.
Port access in Benin and Togo bolsters Russia’s military logistics and resupply capabilities for ongoing operations across the Sahel. The arrangement is particularly strategic for supporting the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a bloc composed of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. While these AES countries are landlocked, both Benin and Togo share borders with them, providing crucial potential access to the sea.
Access to the Atlantic through friendly coastal nations could solve one of the AES bloc’s key logistical challenges and further strengthen the Russian-backed regional security architecture currently emerging in West Africa.