The Czech Ambassador in Nigeria H.E. Pavel Mikes accompanied by Economical Representative Beata Matusiková visited from 19 to 21 October 2016 the Benin Republic in order to hand over credentials to President Patrice Talon.  President Patrice Talon was elected to the post in March 2016. Within the visit, the Czech Ambassador also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aurélien Agbenonci, to whom was handed the Czech MFA note seeking the consent of the candidate for the Honorary Consul Ms. Lada Zapletalová. Ms. Zapletalová is the owner of the company AMJ Group SE supplying food and food products to the broader area of ​​West Africa.

The meeting with the president showed very definite focus of the new President and his government on trade and economy. The president himself is among the largest businessmen in the country and has a clear and very practical vision of the future way of his country. Benin has become a gateway to the entire region, especially to Niger and Nigeria. The government focuses on developing infrastructure, improving the business environment, facilitate tourism (forthcoming opportunity for citizens of certain countries to obtain visas at the airport in Cotonou). The president showed some knowledge of the Czech products, especially Czech glass and high-quality fabrics VEBA. Due to efforts to attract investment to Benin and to find a solution to the problem of unemployment the President Talon would gladly like welcome, in addition to the possibility of importing of fabrics, the opening of the textile factory in Benin, and in this context he is looking for a potential investor and supplier of textile machinery.