The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission concluded a three-day strategic workshop with Benin’s security forces on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, aimed at strengthening the operational readiness of the country’s police ahead of the presidential election scheduled for April 12.
The workshop, held at the Azalai Hotel in Cotonou from March 9 to 11, was organised by the Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the ECOWAS Commission in partnership with the Police Républicaine du Bénin and the ECOWAS Commission’s resident office in Benin. It brought together superior strategic and operational officers from the Beninese national police, led by Inspecteur général de Police Brice Allowanou, Director General of the Police Républicaine du Bénin.
The session focused on sharing best practices in electoral security management between Beninese officers and their regional counterparts, with the goal of reinforcing the role of security forces in ensuring a peaceful and credible vote. The workshop was opened on behalf of the Minister of Interior and Public Security by Contrôleur général major de police Éric Kossi Agossounon, Secretary General of the Interior Ministry, while the welcome address was delivered on behalf of ECOWAS Resident Representative Ambassador Amidou Diongue by Mr. Ebenezer Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance at the ECOWAS Commission.
Resource persons drawn from across the region facilitated the engagement. They included Mrs. Aissatou Ndiaye, a Commissaire de Police Divisionnaire and Deputy Director of Public Security from the National Police of Senegal, Commissaire Principal de Police Thio N’Klobi Richard, Head of the National Police Operations Centre of Côte d’Ivoire, and Mrs. Victoria Yamoah, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Director of the Election Security Secretariat of the Ghana Police Service.
The workshop forms part of a broader ECOWAS engagement programme in Benin that has included separate training sessions for media practitioners and civil society organisations in the weeks leading up to the election. PAPS said additional stakeholder activities are planned before the April vote.
Benin’s April presidential election carries wide regional significance, as only two candidates have been cleared to contest by the Constitutional Court: Romuald Wadagni, the former Finance Minister representing the ruling coalition, and Paul Hounkpè, the sole opposition candidate. The restricted field has drawn criticism from civil society groups and international observers who argue the framework disadvantages smaller parties.
The electoral security preparations carry heightened urgency following a coup attempt on December 7, 2025, in which mutinous soldiers briefly seized the national broadcaster before being repelled by loyalist forces, with support from ECOWAS standby forces including troops from Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone. The January 2026 parliamentary elections that followed proceeded peacefully but recorded voter turnout of only 36.74 percent, raising concerns about public engagement ahead of the April presidential contest.
