France has ended its permanent military presence in Senegal after decades of deployment. The last remaining French base in capital Dakar was handed over to Senegal in a military ceremony. The final withdrawal on Thursday follows a three-month exit process. Senegal said the French withdrawal represents a turning point towards strategic autonomy.
Withdrawal from Senegal marks the end of France’s military presence in Western and Central Africa. A spokesman for the French military said the withdrawal from Senegal is part of a shift away from France’s strategy of permanent presence in West and Central Africa toward a more flexible “partnership” approach.
France’s military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960, under military cooperation agreements between the two countries. The withdrawal followed a call by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal’s sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases.
France has said it is closing all permanent French military bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti, where France has around 1,500 troops. Some French army staff will however remain in the region. Around 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African nation. In the Ivory Coast, 80 French servicemen advise and train the country’s military.
Earlier this year, France had handed over its last military bases to Chad and Ivory Coast. French forces withdrew from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso over the last few years as military-led governments turned to Russia for military support.
According to experts, France’s withdrawal from central and west African nations could create opportunities for Russia and China to increase their influence and presence. This shift in dynamics is due to perceived security vacuum left by the French withdrawal, the desire of some regional governments to diversify their partnerships, and the strategic interests of both Russia and China in the region’s resources and geopolitical landscape.
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: The article has reference to open sources including Al Jazeera, AP and Firstpost.
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