Benin takes the helm at the African Union’s peace and security council

On the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Benin presided over the 1369th ministerial meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) in New York on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. The session was led by Foreign Minister Corinne Amori Brunet, with African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye in attendance.

Delegates from PSC member states, regional organizations, and international partners gathered under the theme “Good Neighborliness and Regional Responses to Security and Terrorism Challenges in Africa.”

Turning borders from barriers into bridges

In her opening remarks, the Foreign Minister placed cooperation between neighboring states at the center of efforts to counter threats that cross African borders. She noted that while borders define territories and sovereignty, they also serve as spaces where people live, work, trade, and maintain family and cultural ties.

When insecurity takes root in these areas, its effects ripple far beyond any single nation. For Benin, good neighborliness must translate into tangible cooperation: a effective state presence, rapid information sharing, collaboration among security services and judicial authorities, and the preservation of legitimate cross-border trade on which local communities depend.

Benin’s neighborhood diplomacy: a presidential priority

This approach aligns with the neighborhood diplomacy championed by Benin under President Romuald Wadagni, who has made dialogue with neighboring countries, security, and regional cooperation key pillars of the nation’s foreign policy.

The Minister also stressed that this cooperation must endure even when political relations between states face periods of tension. For Benin, the challenge is less about creating new frameworks and more about better coordinating existing mechanisms and adapting them to local realities.

Women and border communities take center stage

The session also brought the role of communities living in border areas—and particularly women—back into focus. Their intimate knowledge of local dynamics and close ties to communities make them essential assets for identifying tensions, helping prevent them, and informing peace and security decisions.

This priority builds on the second high-level ministerial seminar of the Swakopmund process on “Women, Peace and Security,” held in Cotonou on September 9-10, 2026. The New York meeting extends that momentum by linking women’s participation to prevention and security challenges in border territories.

What this means for ordinary people and businesses

For communities along Benin’s borders, the outcomes of this ministerial meeting could have direct consequences. Enhanced cooperation between security services and judicial authorities could mean faster responses to cross-border crime, while maintaining legitimate trade routes safeguards the livelihoods of traders and families who depend on daily commerce.

The emphasis on women’s participation could also lead to more inclusive decision-making that reflects the lived experiences of those most affected by insecurity. By focusing on practical coordination rather than new bureaucracies, Benin’s approach aims to deliver results that citizens can feel in their daily lives.

Looking ahead: Benin’s diplomatic momentum continues

Through this ministerial meeting, Benin is advancing the priorities it championed during its September presidency of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council: crisis prevention, grounding decisions in field realities, increasing women’s participation, and strengthening cooperation among neighboring states.

Benin’s diplomatic sequence in New York will continue on Monday, September 28, when the Foreign Minister addresses the United Nations General Assembly during its general debate.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst