Benin says Niger oil pipeline not impacted by regional sanctions over coup
On Sunday, the regional bloc had imposed severe sanctions on Niger after last week’s overthrow of President Bazoum. Authorities in Benin said on Thursday that sanctions imposed on neighbouring Niger by West Africa’s regional bloc over last week’s military coup have not affected work on a major oil pipeline linking both countries, but could mean a delay. On Sunday, heads of state of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States imposed severe sanctions on Niger including border closures and suspension of all financial and commercial ties with the country. The Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) cancelled a planned 30-billion-CFA-franc ($51m) bond issuance by Niger on Monday. The PetroChina-backed export pipeline project is expected to link Niger’s Agadem oilfield to the Benin port of Cotonou. Total investment in the nearly 2,000km (1,243-mile) pipeline, including a second phase development of the Adadem field, is expected to reach $4bn. Niger, which currently produces