Sierra Leone to Contribute Troops in ECOWAS Mission to Stabilize Benin

Sierra Leone has been called upon by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to provide troops for a new regional security mission aimed at stabilizing the Republic of Benin following a military takeover earlier this week.

In a statement issued on 7 December 2025, ECOWAS said the mission is being activated under Article 25(e) of the 1999 ECOWAS Protocol on Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security.

The regional force will include personnel from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, tasked with supporting Benin’s government and Republican Army in preserving constitutional order, protecting territorial integrity, and restoring democratic governance.

Sierra Leone’s participation marks the latest demonstration of regional cooperation under President Julius Maada Bio’s leadership as ECOWAS Chair, who authorized the standby deployment in coordination with ECOWAS institutions.

The intervention follows a failed coup attempt in Benin on 7 December, during which a group of mutinous soldiers briefly declared they had ousted President Patrice Talon and suspended the constitution. Loyalist forces regained control hours later. ECOWAS condemned the coup attempt as unconstitutional and vowed accountability for the plotters.

Regional and international partners are closely monitoring developments, expressing hope that the ECOWAS intervention will restore calm, ensure institutional normalcy in Benin, and prevent further instability across West Africa.

Sierra Leone’s engagement in the mission underscores its commitment to regional peace and security, reinforcing the country’s role as a key player in West African diplomacy and cooperative governance under President Bio’s leadership.