France ends 65-years of military presence in Senegal

France has formally handed over its final military bases in Senegal, bringing an end to a 65-year presence and leaving the French army without any permanent installations in west and central Africa.

In a ceremony attended by senior French and Senegalese officials, including Senegal's Chief of General Staff General Mbaye Cissé and General Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, France returned control of Camp Geille—its largest base in the country—and its adjoining airfield at Dakar's international airport, Caliber.Az reports via France24. 

The withdrawal follows a broader trend across Africa, where former French colonies have increasingly called for an end to foreign military presence. France began ceding its bases in Senegal in March, with the last 350 soldiers—mainly involved in joint operations with the Senegalese army—scheduled to depart over a three-month process.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who won the 2024 elections on a platform promising a sharp departure from his predecessor's policies, had called for the removal of all foreign troops by the end of 2025. While insisting that France remains an "important partner," Faye has emphasized Senegal’s sovereignty and declared that the country should be treated like any other independent nation.

"Senegal is a sovereign country, and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases from foreign powers," Faye said in late 2024.

In addition to calling for the withdrawal of troops, Faye has urged Paris to issue an apology for colonial-era atrocities, including the 1944 Thiaroye massacre, in which dozens of African soldiers who fought for France during World War II were killed by French forces.

France's exit from Senegal is part of a broader strategic retraction. In recent months, Paris has shut down bases across its former empire amid rising anti-French sentiment and a shift in regional alliances. In February, France closed its last military base in Ivory Coast, and the month before, it handed over the Kossei base in Chad—its final outpost in the volatile Sahel region.

Military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger between 2020 and 2023 have ushered in governments that have severed defense ties with France and turned instead to Russia for military assistance in combating jihadist insurgencies. The Central African Republic has also demanded a French military withdrawal amid growing cooperation with the Kremlin.

France has converted its base in Gabon into a joint facility with the host nation. Going forward, its only permanent military presence on the continent will be in Djibouti, where approximately 1,500 personnel are stationed. That facility will now serve as France’s primary military headquarters in Africa.

By Sabina Mammadli