Benin/meeting between M. François Hollande, President of the Republic, and his Beninese counterpart

The French President had a meeting with Mr Thomas Boni Yayi, President of Benin.

François Hollande was firstly keen to praise the vitality and pluralism of Beninese democracy, which were again demonstrated in the recent general election. The Head of State recalled the exemplary nature of the political history of Benin, where the constitution has always been and will continue to be respected, enabling several changeovers of power since 1990.

The two presidents discussed the situation in Mali, where the two countries’ armies have been engaged since 2013. They welcomed the progress made in the fight against terrorism and the political advances contained in the Algiers agreement. The signature and implementation of this agreement must enable peace in Mali to be consolidated in a lasting way.

The French President also spoke about preparations for the Paris Climate Conference, which will take place in Paris at the end of the year. He confirmed to the Beninese President his determination to give the African countries’ stances a central place, particularly in order to address the need to step up efforts to adapt to climate change on the continent.

Finally, François Hollande accepted his Beninese counterpart’s invitation to visit Cotonou at the beginning of July 2015./.