ECOWAS must strategise, not rush troops to Benin – Prof. Antwi-Danso

International Relations Expert, Professor Vladmir Antwi-Danso, has cautioned the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against what he describes as a “knee-jerk reaction” in its decision to deploy a regional standby force to the Republic of Benin following an attempted coup in the West African country.

His comments follow reports that some members of the Benin Armed Forces attempted to overthrow President Patrice Talon on Sunday. According to the French Embassy in Benin, gunfire erupted near the president’s residence in Cotonou as the soldiers announced the suspension of the constitution and the closure of the country’s land borders and airspace.

In response, ECOWAS on Sunday, December 7, 2025, announced that it had activated and deployed its Standby Force to Benin to help preserve constitutional order and safeguard the country’s territorial integrity.

But speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Sunday, December 7, Prof. Antwi-Danso urged caution, stressing that hurried deployments without comprehensive intelligence could expose participating nations—especially troop-contributing countries—to unnecessary danger.

“ECOWAS is always having a knee-jerk reaction,” he said. “When a situation like this happens, intelligence is very important. You need to understand the environment before acting. If any of the troops that have just been rushed to Benin include a Ghanaian contingent, and there are casualties, the repercussions back home will be very bad.”

The governance expert advised ECOWAS to prioritise preventive diplomacy, intelligence gathering, and carefully planned interventions rather than immediate military deployments.

“We must look at what we can do to curb the situation rather than rushing our soldiers there,” he emphasised.