France has formally transferred its two remaining military bases in Senegal, concluding its military presence in West Africa.
France relinquished Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, and its airfield at Dakar’s airport during a ceremony on Thursday, attended by senior French and Senegalese officials, including Senegalese Chief of the General Staff Mbaye Cisse and General Pascal Ianni, the commander of French forces in Africa.
The withdrawal terminates the French army’s 65-year presence in Senegal and follows similar retreats across the continent as former colonies increasingly distance themselves from the nation that once governed them.
France’s exit from Senegal coincides with escalating conflict in the Sahel region. The violence spreading across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger is posing a threat to Gulf of Guinea nations to the south.
Approximately 350 French soldiers, who were primarily responsible for conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, are now departing the country, marking the completion of a withdrawal process that began in March.
General Cisse stated that the handover represented “an important turning point in the rich and long military journey of our two countries”.
France is “reinventing partnerships in a dynamic Africa”, Ianni said. “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.”
In February, France transferred its last remaining base in Ivory Coast, concluding decades of French presence there.
The previous month, France handed over the Kossei base in Chad, its final military stronghold in the Sahel region.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli