Can good neighborly relations really curb terrorism across Africa’s borders? Inside Benin’s diplomatic gamble at the UN

As world leaders gathered for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Benin took the helm of a crucial African Union debate. On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, in New York, the country chaired the 1369th ministerial meeting of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC). The session asked a pointed question: can good neighborly relations serve as a practical shield against insecurity and terrorism? Foreign Minister Corinne Amori Brunet led the discussions, joined by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole Adeoye.

The high-stakes question behind Benin’s PSC presidency

The meeting, dedicated to “Good Neighborliness and Regional Responses to Security and Terrorism Challenges in Africa,” brought together representatives from PSC member states, regional organizations, and international partners. At the opening, Minister Brunet placed cooperation between neighboring states at the heart of any credible response to threats that easily cross African borders. She reminded the room that while borders define territories and sovereignties, they also represent spaces where people live, work, trade, and maintain family and cultural ties.

Why border communities matter more than ever

When insecurity takes root in these areas, its consequences spill far beyond a single nation. For Benin, good neighborliness must translate into concrete action: an effective state presence, rapid information sharing, cooperation between security services and judicial authorities, and the preservation of legitimate cross-border trade that local populations depend on. This approach aligns with the neighborhood diplomacy championed by President Romuald Wadagni, who has made dialogue with neighboring countries, security, and regional cooperation central pillars of Benin’s foreign policy.

Keeping cooperation alive when politics get tense

Minister Brunet also stressed that this cooperation must be safeguarded even when political relations between states hit turbulent patches. For Benin, the challenge is less about creating new frameworks and more about better coordinating existing mechanisms and adapting them to local realities. The session also brought the role of border communities—and particularly women—back to the center of the conversation. Their deep knowledge of local dynamics and close ties to communities make them essential assets for identifying tensions, preventing conflict, and informing peace and security decisions.

From Cotonou to New York: a consistent push for women’s participation

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 and 10, 2026. The New York meeting extends that momentum by linking women’s participation to prevention and security challenges in border areas.

What Benin’s PSC presidency signals for the future

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, greater participation of women, and stronger cooperation among neighboring states. The diplomatic sequence in New York will continue on Monday, September 28, when the Foreign Minister addresses the UN General Assembly during the general debate of the 81st session.

By Marguerite Ndongo — Political and Security Analyst