David Akachukwu
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On Friday, the French embassy announced that France had officially transferred two military facilities to Senegal, marking the first step in ending its military presence in the West African country as the region distances itself from its former colonizer.
Reports indicate that France and Senegal established a joint commission last month to facilitate the return of military bases and the withdrawal of 350 French troops, with the process set to be completed by the end of 2025.
Neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have already expelled French forces and sought assistance from Russia to combat jihadist insurgencies within their borders.
Similarly, France began withdrawing its military forces from Chad in December after the Chadian government, a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants, unexpectedly terminated its defense cooperation agreement with France.
“In accordance with the decision of the joint commission… the French side handed over facilities and accommodation in the Maréchal and Saint-Exupéry quarters to the Senegalese side,” the French embassy in Senegal said in a statement on its website, referring to sites in Dakar.
Further handovers are scheduled according to a mutually agreed timeline.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had stated during his New Year’s Eve address that all foreign military presence in Senegal would be ended. A month earlier, Faye also emphasized in an interview that French military bases were incompatible with Senegal’s sovereignty and would need to be shut down.
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Jonathan Nwokpor
