France gives back army base to Senegal
(MENAFN) France has officially returned a military communications base in western Senegal to local authorities after withdrawing its troops, the French embassy announced. This move follows Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s call last year to end the long-standing defense agreement with France, which he described as incompatible with the country's sovereignty.
The joint broadcasting station in Rufisque, responsible for military communications along the southern Atlantic coast since Senegal’s independence in 1960, was among the facilities handed over. France began its troop withdrawal in March, transferring the Marechal and Saint-Exupery military sites to Senegal. In May, the Contre-Amiral Protet camp at Dakar’s port was also returned.
A bilateral commission overseeing the process confirmed that the handover of bases and the withdrawal of around 350 French soldiers is expected to conclude by the end of 2025. The embassy added that the remaining sites will be returned by July 2025, while both countries work on renewing their defense and security partnership.
Senegal, which gained independence from France in 1960, had been a close partner of Paris in West Africa. However, since President Faye took office in April 2024, the government has pushed to end the French military presence. Earlier, Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko criticized France’s capacity and legitimacy in safeguarding Africa’s security, comments sparked by French President Emmanuel Macron’s remarks about Sahel nations’ gratitude for French interventions against jihadists.
This development follows a wider regional trend of former French colonies like Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad severing or reducing military ties with France. In February, France also handed over its sole army base in Côte d’Ivoire, with local leaders framing the withdrawal as part of efforts to modernize their armed forces.
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