Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, has claimed that Benin’s suspension of Niger’s oil shipments, imposed in reaction to a border shutdown, breached bilateral trade agreements as well as those with Niger’s Chinese partners.

Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said on Saturday that Benin’s blockade of Niger’s oil exports, imposed in response to a border closure, violated trade agreements between the two countries and with Niger’s Chinese partners.

Speaking at a press conference in the capital Niamey, Zeine said Niger could not fully reopen its border with Benin for security reasons, in comments that escalate a dispute that saw Benin this week block supplies of Niger’s crude oil to ships in its port.

The blockade threatens Niger’s plan to begin crude exports under a $400 million deal with China National Petroleum Corp (CNPET.UL). This is significant because Niger plans to use the funds from the export deal to cover missed bond payments due to regional sanctions.

Zeine claimed that the embargo breached over a dozen agreements signed by Benin, Niger, and China about a recently launched, PetroChina-backed pipeline connecting Niger’s Agadem oil field to Benin’s port of Cotonou.

However, Benin has stated that it will only back down if Niger reopens its border to Benin-produced goods and normalizes relations. According to Zeine, one of the oil export treaties stated that Benin could not unilaterally amend or limit the agreements without the assent of the other parties.

“This means that the country agreed not to take any decision that would stop the flow of Niger’s crude oil to the international market. This is serious. This is a violation of an agreement,” he said at a press conference.

The relationship between the two countries has been strained since July 2023, when a coup in Niger prompted ECOWAS to impose tight sanctions for over six months. What comes next is unclear. Zeine stated that Niger will not cooperate with Benin’s desire to reopen its border fully.

“In Benin’s territory, there are bases where in some, terrorists are trained to come and destabilise our country. So, it is for simple security reasons that we decided to maintain the border closure,” Zeine said, without further detailing the allegations.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Tunisia’s capital on Sunday to demand the release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition members, as well as the date for fair presidential elections.

Local and international human rights groups have criticised the decline in civic freedoms in Tunisia since President Saied’s reign began. Local and international human rights groups have criticised the decline in civic freedoms in Tunisia since President Saied’s reign began.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Tunisia’s capital on Sunday to demand the release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition members, as well as the date for fair presidential elections. The demonstration comes amid an economic and political crisis, as well as a wave of arrests of journalists, attorneys, activists, and opponents.

Tunisian police invaded the Deanship of Lawyers building on Saturday, arresting Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer known for her harsh criticism of President Kais Saied. Two more journalists were arrested on the same day.

The opposition claims that the political atmosphere is unsuitable for holding elections, citing press restrictions and the detention of key opponents and activists. They appealed on Sunday for a clean political climate in preparation for a vote that would end the press and political constraints.

“Today there is no climate for fair elections and there is no date… the authorities are repressing politicians, lawyers and journalists,” said Imed Khemiri, a senior official in the Ennahda party, a member of the Salvation Front, which is organizing the protest.

“The storming of the lawyers’ headquarters yesterday is a dangerous precedent that perpetuates the authoritarian regime,” he added.

One of the most notable candidates, Abir Moussa, has been imprisoned for months, and Mondher Zanaidi announced his candidacy for a prospective election from France, despite fears that he would be detained if he returned to Tunisia.

Saied, without clarifying who he was referring to, accused possible candidates of being traitors seeking refuge abroad.