Benin President promises regional response to Burkina Faso attack

Benin’s President Thomas Boni Yayi visits Ouagadougou on Monday to show solidarity to Burkina Faso after the deadly attack during the weekend.

President Boni Yayi promised a regional response to the violence of the jihadists. “This is true barbarism. What can lead to such hatred is unimaginable,” commented Dr. Boni Yayi.

Benin president and his Burkinabe counterpart, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré visited the scene of the attack Friday night after a meeting at the presidential palace in Ouagadougou.

On his arrival at the airport, Mr. Boni Yayi stressed that “it is not only Burkina that was hit but a whole sub-region. And we will not stand idle. We will react and respond.”

“The question today is who’s next?” He added on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “I came to deliver a message on behalf of my colleagues across the subregion. You are not alone, you can be reassured.”

President Boni Yayi announced a special session of ECOWAS to be organised on the subject. “After the events in Bamako and Burkina, everyone is aware once again of the need to act,” he said in reference to the attack which killed 29 people in Ouagadougou and the one that killed 20 people in the Malian capital two months ago.

The Prime Minister of Mali, Modibo Keita, was also in Burkina Faso on Sunday where he said Bamako and Ouagadougou will “mutualise” their efforts “against jihadism and terrorism.”