Benin: Romuald Wadagni received by Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée for his first visit to France

Beninese President Romuald Wadagni was received by Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on the morning of October 5, 2026, for his first official visit to France since his inauguration on May 24, 2026. The meeting, which began as a one-on-one before expanding to include delegations, focused on relations between Cotonou and Paris, Benin's economic attractiveness, and security cooperation, according to La Nouvelle Tribune.

The visit spanned 48 hours, from October 4 to 5, reports the Beninese media outlet Les 4 Vérités. The head of state first attended a dinner in his honor at the Élysée on October 4, organized on the sidelines of the Africa France Impact Coalition, before the bilateral meeting the following day.

A streamlined delegation and sectoral agreements

Romuald Wadagni traveled with a small team, which included Minister of Foreign Affairs Corinne Amori Brunet, Minister of Culture Yassine Latoundji, and Minister Delegate in charge of external resources Hugues Oscar Lokossou. It was the latter who was set to sign several agreements with French partners, focusing in particular on the expansion of electrical grids, the development of the fish farming sector, agricultural investments, and the construction of a center of excellence for forensic hematology, again according to Les 4 Vérités.

The heritage file remains open

The memorial aspect was not forgotten: at the Quai Branly Museum, the delegation was scheduled to review the status of heritage cooperation five years after the restitution to Benin of 26 royal treasures looted from Abomey. This is a file that Cotonou has never considered closed, as the African collections held in European museums far exceed this initial gesture.

Following an African tour first

This visit follows a series of trips by the new president across the continent. Before Paris, Romuald Wadagni visited Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Rwanda, and Congo, according to La Nouvelle Tribune. The order of these trips speaks to his method: the West African neighborhood first, the former colonial power second.

The press review of Francophone Africa for October 5, 2026, published by allAfrica, also places the meeting in the context of the security threats weighing on West Africa. The precise conclusions of the meeting and any potential financial commitments had not been made public by midday on October 5.