Mr. Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. President of the Constitutional Court, Ladies and Gentlemen the Presidents and Members of the Institutions of the Republic, Ladies and Gentleman the Representatives of Foreign Governments, Ladies and Gentlemens the Members of the Diplomatic Body and Representatives of International Organizations, Dear Guests, My dear compatriots, At this moment when the Beninese people entrust me with the supreme responsibility of leading our Nation, I feel a deep sense of gratitude and gravity. I measure the honor he did to me last April 12, by going out massively to fulfill his citizen duty. I mostly measure the responsibility that comes with it. For there are moments in the life of a Nation when an election goes beyond a man’s choice to become the choice of direction, method and shared ambition.
My dear compatriots, In the last ten years, Benin has profoundly transformed. The Beninese have renewed with a sense of pride and our country has found the path of development again. This journey took effort and discipline. He made sacrifices that allowed our Nation to regain something essential: self-confidence. Proof that our country could reform without collapsing. That discipline could coexist with social justice. That the institutions could be restored without losing the soul of the people who inhabited them. So, I want to pay tribute to President Patrice TALON who, with determination, with the courage of difficult decisions, the consistency of builders and the rare ability to think Benin for the long time, made this revival possible. I would also like to pay tribute to our founding fathers, especially to the other Presidents who have succeeded at the head of the country since the Democratic Renewal began in 1990. I want to quote Presidents Nicephore Dieudonne SOGLO, Mathieu KEREKOU and Boni YAYI. Following all of them, I want to be the continuation of the tradition of peace they have established over time that enables us, despite our occasional misunderstandings, to face together the challenge of development.
My fellow compatriots, After the revelation and transformation work undertaken, our duty is now clear: to ensure that the newfound strength of our State translates deeper into the daily lives of every Beninese family. Our economy has progressed. This is a reality. But we all know that national growth is meaningful only when it becomes visible in the ordinary lives of the population, when a young person finds opportunity in his usual environment. Yes, growth is even more noticeable when a mother can get her child treated without fearing the cost of care; When a farmer can sell his production because the road is viable; Or when a family finally has access to drinking water, electricity, decent housing. That means that the development of Benin must be lived in every component of the City and in every territory of the Republic.
To the young people of Benin, who refuse old fatalities and want to succeed here at home through their work, I want to say this: Benin believes in you, and will give you the chances to succeed. To the women of Benin, who quietly carry a huge part of our economy and still move forward with courage and dignity, I want to say this: Your access to funding, property, social security and responsibility will be strengthened.
To the farmers in Benin, whose neglect at work needs to be more recognized, I want to say this: you will have better access to mechanization, suitable seeds, appropriate funding and processing equipment. We will build agricultural social protection, because a Nation that respects those who nurture it is a Nation that respects itself. To our diaspora, to those women and men who live far from their homeland but whose hearts remain attached to Benin, I want to say this: the country we are building is also yours. And to those whom history removed from this land centuries ago, sons and daughters of Africa scattered by trade, I want to say this: Benin will always be the home of return. Our door remains open, and our memory, faithful. My dear compatriots, When taking oath before the Nation, I also make a clear commitment, to be the guarantor of our institutions, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms. Because the strength of a democracy is measured by the confidence that its institutions inspire to citizens, in the justice of the Republic that guarantees them the fairness of its rules and the effective protection of their rights. This will be all the more important as our region goes through a period of serious tension as terrorism progresses. But I can assure you: Benin will not yield to fear or relaxation. The State will stand firm against everything that threatens our cohesion and security.
We will continue to invest in our defense and security forces. And above all, we will also build security by continuing to develop basic social services, providing local economic opportunities and maintaining the effective presence of the State throughout the territory. It will be so because our security is our unity; our unity is our strength. My dear compatriots, Together with our neighboring countries, we will place special emphasis on deepening regional cooperation. Benin will continue to act for stability, dialogue and respect. To our brother countries of Africa, and first of all to our neighbors in the sub-region whose presence I want to greet here by our side as much as it pleases us, I want to renew the message of brotherhood of the Beninese people. My belief is that, in a sub-region facing terrorist threat, we are doomed to work together. So I want to reiterate Benin’s willingness to act in concert with them to end this plague. I want to tell them my belief that together with them we can build a powerful Africa by making our own strategic choices and above all ensuring that they are executed properly. To our international partners who are supporting us in this walk, I want to say that Benin will remain true to its commitments and committed to partnerships based on mutual respect, trust and shared interest. Benin will remain open to the world, never moving away from itself.
My dear compatriots, The task ahead, which we collectively have, is a big task. However, I have no doubt about our ability to meet the challenge. I am convinced that, as we have done in recent years to raise Benin to the level it is, we will still be able to mobilize, and no one will be too many on this site, to prolong our beautiful epic. I know the immense expectations that come with this mandate. I also know the impatience and sometimes the worries of some of you. I want to make a simple commitment before the Nation. I will serve Benin with integrity, courage and consistency. With the permanent awareness that power is never a personal privilege. That power is a responsibility before the people and before history. On this day, I form a vow for our Nation: May Benin remain free. May Benin stand up, always higher. And together, we go further. Long live the Republic. Long live Benin. I thank you.
