The African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have strongly condemned the attempted military coup in the Republic of Benin on Sunday, 7 December 2025, describing it as an unacceptable assault on democratic governance.
A group of military officers appeared on national television on Sunday morning, claiming to have overthrown President Patrice Talon and dissolved state institutions. The officers, operating under the name “Military Committee for Refoundation,” were reportedly led by Lieutenant Colonel Pascal Tigri.
Bellnews reported that the group attacked President Talon’s residence in the Le Guézo area before seizing control of the national broadcaster, where Tigri declared himself “chairman of the military re-establishment committee.”
In a statement issued on Sunday, Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, condemned the coup attempt “strongly and unequivocally,” warning that military interference in politics constitutes a grave violation of AU principles.
He cited key continental instruments that prohibit unconstitutional changes of government, including the AU Constitutive Act, the Lomé Declaration, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the Ezulwini Framework. These frameworks, he noted, “categorically reject military encroachment in governance and affirm the primacy of constitutional order and democratic legitimacy.”
The AU demanded that the coup plotters cease all unlawful actions, return to the barracks, and uphold Benin’s Constitution. Yousouf also urged political actors to prioritise dialogue and unity, expressing concern over the rising frequency of coups on the continent, which he said “undermine stability, erode democratic gains, and embolden military actors.”
Reaffirming its support for President Talon and the people of Benin, the AU pledged readiness to work with partners to ensure the full restoration of constitutional order.
ECOWAS, in its own statement, said it received the news of the attempted military takeover “with consternation,” condemning it as “an unconstitutional move that subverts the will of the people of Benin.”
The regional bloc called for full respect for constitutional order and commended loyal security forces for quickly containing the situation. It warned that the masterminds would be held individually and collectively responsible for any loss of life or property.
ECOWAS also vowed to support Benin “in all forms necessary,” including the potential deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force to defend the Constitution and the country’s territorial integrity.