France has formally initiated the process of ending its military presence in Senegal, handing over two military facilities to the West African nation on Friday.
This development marks the first step in France’s withdrawal from Senegal, as the region increasingly distances itself from its former colonizer.
A joint commission was established last month to facilitate the restitution of military bases and the withdrawal of 350 French troops by the end of 2025.
This move follows a trend in the region, with neighboring countries Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger having already expelled French troops and sought assistance from Russia in combating jihadist insurgencies.
France’s military withdrawal from Chad began in December, after the Chadian government terminated its defense cooperation pact with France.
Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has emphasized the need to end all foreign military presence in Senegal, citing the incompatibility of French military bases with Senegalese sovereignty.