evidence: On the border of Benin and Burkina Faso, the disputed Kourou-Koualou area hosts a wide-ranging market of illicit activities that fuel insecurity and help extremism spread south from the Sahel. [...] Koualou sits in the northwest corner of Atacora next to Pendjari National Park, the site of Benin’s first terrorist attack, which saw two French tourists kidnapped and their local guide killed in 2019. Extremists use Pendjari as a refuge, along with Arly National Park in Burkina Faso and W National Park in Niger. [...] The situation in Kourou-Koualou is complicated by the fact that both Benin and Burkina Faso claim the territory near the tripoint with Togo and jointly administer it. To reduce the chance of conflict, both countries have withdrawn their militaries. The lack of security has encouraged smuggling and related activities.