Présentation des voeux du Haut Commandement Militaire au Chef de l'Etat Patrice Talon

On Friday, January 6, 2017, the traditional New Year's greetings ceremony for the institutions of the Republic, the High Military Command, and the diplomatic corps accredited to Benin to the President of the Republic, His Excellency Patrice Talon, took place in the Ambassadors' Hall at the Presidential Palace. Adrien Houngbédji, President of the National Assembly, on behalf of all the presidents of the institutions of the Republic, extended New Year's greetings to President Talon. He recalled the events of the last presidential election and commended the major reforms undertaken or planned by the government. The institutions of the Republic, within the limits of their constitutional prerogatives, will play their part in achieving the ambitious goals set for the country's development, the President of the National Assembly promised. He also noted how promising the approach and methods of the Head of State are. Following the heads of all the institutions of the Republic, it was the turn of the High Military Command, led by the Chief of the General Staff of the Beninese Armed Forces, Brigadier General Laurent Amoussou, to present the military's New Year's greetings to President Patrice Talon. In his address, General Laurent Amoussou, after conveying the New Year's greetings of the country's defense, security, and related forces to the Head of State, reviewed the past year and outlined future prospects. He took the opportunity to request the support of the President of the Republic and his government to meet the needs for defense and security equipment and other resources. Expressing her New Year's greetings on behalf of all the diplomats, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to Benin presented a glowing assessment of the Head of State's diplomatic efforts since he came to power. She also drew the President's attention to the relatively unstable situations in some African countries. In his response to the various bodies and institutions, His Excellency Patrice Talon reiterated his call for ongoing dialogue and requested everyone's support for the success of the reforms advocated by his government in its five-year action plan, "Benin Revealed." He also called on the various international partners to increase their commitment to supporting the development process initiated in April 2016. Addressing the defense and security forces, the Head of State expressed his readiness to do what is necessary for optimal performance. It should be noted that these New Year's greetings ceremonies were memorable for their restraint, conciseness, and strict punctuality—all of which stand in stark contrast to past practices. This demonstrates that, in this respect as well, the new administration is setting an example.