Benin's new president on Tuesday visited neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso, in a sign of easing tensions between the Sahel nations and Cotonou.

Niger, which severed security ties with France, closed its border with Benin after claiming that Benin was harbouring "French bases" bent on destabilising Niger.

Transitional President Abdourahamane Tchiani and Benin's President Romuald Wadagni, who came to power on May 24, issued a joint statement following their meeting on Tuesday signalling a shift in relations.

The leaders were "committed to working to remove all obstacles to strengthening cooperation between the two countries, in particular the reopening of the border," it said.

Plan to resume security cooperation

The two leaders were expected to discuss relaunching security cooperation between the countries, which are both battling terrorism threat.

Niger has teamed up Burkina Faso and Mali to create a confederation called the Alliance of Sahel States.

The three quit West African bloc, ECOWAS, accusing the regional body of not doing enough to help them in their fight against terrorists.

The visit "is part of the active neighbourhood diplomacy that President Wadagni intends to pursue with all the states bordering Benin," the Beninese presidency said in a statement.

'New path'

Wadagni spent several hours in Niger before heading to Burkina Faso later in the day. His first international trip was to Nigeria on Monday.

In an initial sign of improving relations, Niger's Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine attended Wadagni's inauguration in Cotonou where he spoke of "a new path."

Main roads in Niamey on Tuesday were decorated with flags of the two countries and hundreds of people gathered to greet the presidential convoy.

Wadagni, the former finance minister and successor of ex-president Patrice Talon, won the election with 94% of the vote.

Economic interests

A few days after his victory, Niger's Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba said he was waiting for "goodwill gestures" from the new president, "for Benin to come out and say that it has nothing to do with France's interests."

Niger regularly claims that Benin harbours French military bases, allegations that Benin consistently denies. In recent years, Benin's north, which borders Niger, has been plagued by deadly terrorist attacks.

Niger and Benin share economic interests: the port of Seme-Kpodji in Cotonou is the easiest route for bringing supplies into Niamey and for the export of its raw materials.

According to Nigerien official figures, 80% of Niger's freight passed through this route before the dispute.

Key bridge remains closed

A huge pipeline that exports Nigerien oil via Benin has remained in operation.

But the only bridge linking the two countries, separated by the Niger River, remains closed, with heavy security measures, according to local residents.