Dakar, July 17, 2025 – The Europe Today: France is set to formally hand over its remaining military bases in Senegal on Thursday, bringing an end to its 65-year permanent military presence in West and Central Africa. The symbolic withdrawal marks the latest step in the redefinition of France’s post-colonial military footprint across the continent.
The disengagement follows similar French troop pull-outs from other African nations in recent years, amid growing calls across former colonies for greater sovereignty and independence from foreign military influence.
Approximately 350 French troops, who had been engaged primarily in joint operations with the Senegalese Armed Forces, will depart the country after a phased three-month withdrawal that began in March. The handover ceremony will see the return of Camp Geille — France’s largest military base in Senegal — and its airfield at Dakar’s international airport.
The formal event in Dakar will be attended by Senegal’s Chief of General Staff, General Mbaye Cisse, and General Pascal Ianni, Commander of French Forces in Africa.
The withdrawal was initiated after newly elected Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who won the 2024 elections on a platform of reform and national renewal, called for the removal of French forces by 2025. However, unlike the governments of other former French colonies such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — which have severed military and diplomatic ties with Paris — President Faye has emphasized that Senegal remains committed to maintaining cooperative relations with France.
The conclusion of France’s military presence in Senegal is widely seen as part of a broader realignment in African geopolitics, as nations seek to assert greater control over their security affairs and recalibrate international partnerships.
