President Romuald Wadagni’s recent visit to Paris in early October has led to new agreements aimed at strengthening cooperation between France and Benin. This collaboration spans multiple areas, including infrastructure financing, commercial trade, security, and the preservation of cultural heritage. During the visit, agreements were signed with the French Development Agency, totaling 94.4 million euros, to support projects in electricity and agriculture. These commitments are part of a broader partnership that the new ambassador to France will be responsible for overseeing. Jean-Michel Abimbola has been named Benin’s new ambassador to France, succeeding Corinne Amori Brunet, who recently became the country’s minister of Foreign Affairs. Abimbola, an economist by training, has held several ministerial positions in Benin. He previously served in the government of President Boni Yayi, where he was responsible for Culture in 2012, and later worked under President Patrice Talon as minister of Tourism, Culture, and Arts from September 2019 until March 2026. He was officially appointed ambassador on Wednesday, October 7, during a cabinet meeting. Abimbola has been actively involved in efforts to return Beninese cultural heritage to the country. In November 2021, he signed an agreement with French minister Roselyne Bachelot, transferring ownership of 26 artworks held in France to Benin. This agreement was supported by French assistance for the construction of the Abomey museum, which is intended to house these returned artifacts. This initiative is part of a growing movement across Africa to reclaim cultural items held in European museums. Bilateral trade between France and Benin reached 309 million euros (346 million USD) in 2025, according to the French General Directorate of the Treasury. Approximately 8,000 people are employed by around fifty French companies operating in Benin, primarily in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, transport, and agro-food. The cooperation also includes military and security training, with France supporting institutions such as the Center for Post-Conflict Demining and Decontamination Training and the Ouidah Logistic Academy. This appointment comes just two days after Wadagni met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.