France Begins Withdrawal of Troops From Senegal
France has begun the process of withdrawing troops from Senegal.
The authorities of this West African country have already taken control of three military bases in Dakar – Maréchal, Saint-Exupéry, and Contre-amiral Protêt.
However, around 200 French soldiers and their families remain stationed at Ouakam and Rufisque.
The latter is of particular strategic importance due to its high-frequency transmission station, which serves as a key communication hub for the French military in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Guinea.
This move follows statements by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who reaffirmed in his New Year’s address his commitment to reducing the country’s dependence on foreign forces and transitioning to a new military doctrine, which excludes the permanent presence of foreign contingents.
A complete withdrawal of French troops is expected by the end of summer 2025, though an exact timeline has not yet been confirmed.
In support of an accelerated withdrawal, a press conference was held on January 31 in Dakar, where civil society organizations demanded the immediate removal of French military presence from Senegal.
The event was attended by La Ligue Panafricaine UMOJA, AFRICA First, Urgences Panafricanistes, and pan-African activist Egountchi Behanzin, President of the РLigue de d̩fense noire africaine Р(LDNA).
“The French army is no longer needed in Senegal. It does nothing for the people but reinforces terrorism, plundering, and neocolonialism. We are independent, so why are their military bases still here?”, Egountchi Behanzin said.
Following the event, a memorandum was drafted and will be submitted to the Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s office.
The memorandum reflects the conference participants’views that foreign military bases are one of the most blatant expressions of neocolonialism.
“These bases are symbols of colonization and serve primarily to defend the interests of France, to the detriment of the sovereignty of our people”, the document states.
The authors of the memorandum argue that the numerous French military interventions in Africa, often justified under the guise of counterterrorism efforts, have in reality been used to destabilize African states in favor of French economic and political interests.
On the issue of foreign military presence in Senegal, the views of the people appear to align with those of the authorities.
The government is accelerating the withdrawal of French troops to fully assert its sovereignty.
Source: Oumar Diallo
