The former finance minister of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, officially became the country's president on Sunday, taking over from his predecessor Patrice Talon.
The former finance minister of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, officially became the country's president on Sunday, taking over from his predecessor Patrice Talon.
Wadagni, an economist with a reputation as a technocrat who embodies continuity with Talon's two mandates, was elected April 12 with 94% of the ballots.
The party of his sole opponent, Paul Hounkpe, joined forces with Wadagni's party in the country's parliament.
The main opposition party, the Democrats, was not able to participate in the elections because of insufficient endorsements.
'Courage and commitment'
"I will serve Benin with integrity, courage and commitment," Wadagni said at his inauguration.
"I will serve with the constant knowledge that power is never a personal privilege," he said.
Wadagni takes up the reins of a West African country that has enjoyed a decade of robust economic growth.
The 49-year-old has a seven-year term before him, after a constitutional reform last year extended the presidential mandate from a previous five years.
Unity and security
A president can serve only a maximum of two terms.
Under Wadagni's 10-year stint as finance minister, Benin's public finances were cleaned up and the deficit cut by a third to reach 3% of GDP.
Wadagni emphasised that, on top of his economic skills, he would tackle the violence in the north, attributed mainly to an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group.
"Benin will not give in to fear nor complacency. The government will be firm against all those who threaten our unity and security," Wadagni said.
Relations with Sahel neighbours
One of his tasks will be to try to stabilise tense relations with Benin's Sahel neighbours, Niger and Burkina Faso.
On Sunday, Niger's prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, attended Wadagni's inauguration to applause, in a sign of detente.
