France Ends Permanent Military Presence in Senegal

France has formally withdrawn its remaining military forces from Senegal, marking the end of its permanent military presence in West Africa.

The decision reflects Paris’s ongoing decline in regional influence and comes as part of a broader realignment of French military strategy across the continent.

On Thursday, the French Armed Forces officially handed over the Galliéni Camp, their largest military base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar.

General Pascal Yanni, head of French forces in Africa, said the move ushers in a new phase in Franco-Senegalese military relations. He noted that the withdrawal aligns with France’s broader decision to end its permanent base operations in West and Central Africa, responding to Senegal’s wish to eliminate the long-term presence of foreign troops on its soil.

Senegal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, welcomed the move, stating that it supports the country’s new defense strategy.

He emphasized that the core goal is to strengthen the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace across the region, the continent, and globally.

The withdrawal marks the end of a three-month operation to remove approximately 350 French troops, which began in March. France had maintained a military presence in Senegal since the country’s independence in 1960, under long-standing defense cooperation agreements.

The pullout follows a call last year by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for the removal of all foreign troops, arguing that national sovereignty is incompatible with foreign military bases on Senegalese territory.