NIAMEY (Reuters) – Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said on Saturday that Benin’s blockade of Niger’s oil exports, imposed in response to a border closure, violated trade agreements between the two countries and with Niger’s Chinese partners.
Speaking at a press conference in the capital Niamey, Zeine said Niger could not fully reopen its border with Benin for security reasons, in comments that escalate a dispute that saw Benin this week block supplies of Niger’s crude oil to ships in its port.
The blockade jeopardises landlocked Niger’s plan to start crude exports under a $400 million deal with state-owned oil major China National Petroleum Corp, important because Niger has said it would use funds from the export deal to fund bond payments missed while under regionally imposed sanctions.
Zeine said the blockade was in violation of about a dozen accords signed by Benin, Niger and the Chinese side relating to a recently launched, PetroChina backed pipeline linking Niger’s Agadem oil field to the Benin port of Cotonou.
In response to Benin’s oil export blockade, Niger’s Prime Minister has called for urgent diplomatic negotiations to resolve the impasse. The blockade threatens to undermine regional stability and jeopardize the economic interests of both nations.
Moreover, the Niger-Benin oil blockade underscores the interconnectedness of regional economies and the need for collaborative solutions to address shared challenges. Therefore, diplomatic dialogue and adherence to established agreements are crucial to maintaining peaceful relations and fostering economic prosperity in the region.
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