Benin signs military cooperation agreement with Egypt
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Nouvelle Tribune
Benin and Egypt have signed a military cooperation agreement aimed at the transfer and exchange of expertise in several military and technical fields. The meeting, held on Monday 9 November, brought together Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa and Benin’s minister delegate Gildas Agonkan. Cotonou is thus diversifying its military partnerships, according to La Nouvelle Tribune.
Benin and Egypt have signed a military cooperation agreement intended to promote the transfer and exchange of expertise in several military and technical fields. According to La Nouvelle Tribune, the meeting, held on Monday 9 November, brought together Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, chief of staff of the Egyptian armed forces, minister delegate for National Defence Gildas Agonkan and several commanders from both countries.
The agreement is part of Cotonou’s diversification of its military partnerships. General Fructueux Gbaguidi was received at the Pentagon in August 2026 to strengthen security cooperation with Washington, and Cotonou hosted a tripartite meeting of the French, Ivorian and Beninese chiefs of staff in March. In September, Gildas Agonkan proposed to Rome that cooperation be extended beyond training.
Gildas Agonkan affirmed his country’s determination to consolidate cooperation with Egypt and praised the "pivotal and pioneering" role of Egypt in supporting peacekeeping on the continent. The commander-in-chief of the Egyptian armed forces, Ashraf Salem Zaher, recalled the depth of the historical ties between the two countries and his forces' willingness to expand cooperation with friendly African countries, in order to contribute to the security and stability of the continent. The visit was marked by an official ceremony at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the Egyptian Ministry of Defence.
