Simon Ateba is Chief White House Correspondent for Today News Africa covering President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. government, UN, IMF, World Bank and other financial and international institutions in Washington and New York.
President Patrice Talon of Benin met with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington D.C. on Tuesday and both countries agreed to strengthen ties. There was no White House meeting with President Trump.
President Trump might have been too busy watching his Senate impeachment trial after the House of Representatives late last year charged him with high crimes and misdemeanors and asked the Senate to remove him from office.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said both countries discussed terrorism in the Sahel region and shared democratic values.
“Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Beninese President Patrice Talon in Washington, D.C. Secretary Pompeo and President Talon discussed regional security cooperation to counter violent extremist threats stemming from the neighboring Sahel,” Ortagus said.
“The Secretary and the President also addressed the importance of shared democratic values as the basis of our bilateral partnership. Finally, they discussed ways to improve U.S.-Benin private sector ties and increase bilateral trade”.
President Talon also met with executives at the World Bank with a focus on tourism, agribusiness and telecom investments.
The presidency in Benin quoted Philippe Lehouerou, the director of the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), as saying he was pleased with Benin’s progress and hoped to open up more opportunities for private investment in Benin.
World Bank President said he was “encouraged to hear of Patrice Talon’s rigorous commitment to trade liberalization, labor market reforms and monetary stability”.
“Our talks on digital financial services give me great hope for regulatory reform that may unleash Benin’s economic potential.”
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