France reduces military presence in three African countries

France intends to reduce the number of its military personnel in three African countries in the coming months.

France will reduce the number of the contingent by "several hundred people" by late 2023. In particular, the number of military personnel will be reduced at bases in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Dakar (Senegal) and Libreville (Gabon), Le Monde reports.

Now there are about 1,700 French military personnel in these countries.

At the same time, the military contingent in Djibouti, where 1,500 military personnel were deployed, does not fall under the planned reduction.

Of 12,000 French troops engaged in peacekeeping operations worldwide, nearly half are deployed in Africa in both military and advisory capacities, according to the French Ministry of Defence. There are three main French bases in Africa. The largest is in Djibouti, with smaller forces at Dakar in Senegal and Libreville in Gabon. Their purpose is to promote regional security, though the base in Djibouti allows France to exercise a measure of military influence in the Middle East. (Also in Djibouti are about 1,500 American personnel of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, stationed at the former French base Le Monier since 2003.) There is also a small French force on Reunion Island, a French territory located off the coast of Madagascar.