Benin-Niger spat: China may try to mediate to access crude oil from ‘its’ pipeline

Benin-Niger spat: China may try to mediate to access crude oil from ‘its’ pipeline
Tensions between Benin and Niger have escalated since the military coup in the latter in July 2023, with the borders between both countries remaining closed and with Benin preventing Niger from using its port to export its crude oil, mostly bound for China.
Relations between the two nations soured after the Nigerian military overthrew the country’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum last year. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on Niger, including border closures, in a bid to force the military to hand back power to the elected government. But the military junta in Niamey responded promptly by closing the borders with Benin, accusing both its neighbor of harboring a French military base on its territory, and also France of training jihadists to destabilize Niger. In response, Benin has prevented Niger from using its port to export its first crude oil, with President Patrice Talon accusing Niger of treating its neighbor like an “enemy”.
While the ECOWAS sanctions were eased in February, and were expected to normalize trade relations with Niger, the conflict between Benin and Niger has escalated. The decision on 6 May to ban Chinese tankers from anchoring in the Beninese port of Sèmè is a sign of the failure of the negotiations that have been taking place between both neighbors over the last few months. “The borders remain closed and Niger does not seem ready to reopen them soon,” said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel Regional Program at the Bonn-based Konrad Adenauer Foundation. “The Nigerian government is still afraid that ECOWAS or France could try to reinstall the ousted president through military intervention.” Laessing also adds that “China will probably try to mediate. After all, China built the oil pipeline. And it’s also Chinese companies that buy oil from Niger.”