News Agencies
France has officially handed over its last two military bases in Senegal, marking the end of a 65-year military presence in the West African nation and signaling a significant shift in France’s role across its former colonies in the region. In a formal ceremony on Thursday, France returned Camp Geille—its largest base in Senegal—and its airfield located at Dakar’s international airport. The event was attended by high-ranking officials from both countries, including Senegal’s Chief of the General Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, and General Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa.
Approximately 350 French troops, who had been stationed in Senegal primarily to conduct joint operations with the Senegalese army, are now leaving the country. The withdrawal process began in March and concludes a gradual pullout that reflects broader regional dynamics and growing anti-French sentiment across West and Central Africa. General Cissé described the handover as “an important turning point in the rich and long military journey of our two countries,” while General Ianni remarked, “We are turning a page in the military history of our two countries … a very special relationship and one essential for the countries of the region.”
The departure from Senegal follows similar withdrawals by France from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ivory Coast, and Chad. Once home to thousands of French troops, these countries have either reduced French military cooperation or ended it altogether, often turning to new partners such as Russia to support their security needs.
Senegal’s new President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who campaigned on promises of change, had called for the withdrawal of French troops by 2025. However, unlike leaders in other former French colonies now under military rule, Faye has maintained that Senegal will continue diplomatic and economic cooperation with France.
France has also faced calls from President Faye and others for an official apology over its colonial-era atrocities, including the massacre of African soldiers who fought for France during World War II on December 1, 1944.
Once the dominant military power across West and Central Africa, France has now seen the near-total dismantling of its military infrastructure on the continent. In February, it closed its final base in Ivory Coast. In January, it handed over the Kossei base in Chad—its last stronghold in the Sahel.
Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have expelled a combined 4,300 French troops since 2020, citing sovereignty concerns and accusing France of failing to curb jihadist violence in the region. The Central African Republic has also distanced itself from France, demanding the exit of French forces and instead inviting Russian mercenaries to operate in the country.
Following the Senegal withdrawal, Djibouti remains the only African country hosting a permanent French military base. That installation—home to about 1,500 personnel—will now serve as France’s military headquarters on the continent.
As France recalibrates its African policy, the latest handovers mark the end of an era and reflect a growing trend: African nations asserting control over their security partnerships and demanding a redefinition of post-colonial relationships.
Torch Media Africa
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