In a move symbolizing the end of a colonial military legacy, France has officially handed over its last two military bases in Senegal, drawing the curtain on more than six decades of permanent French military presence in the West African nation.
At a handover ceremony held on July 17, Senegal’s Chief of General Staff, Mbaye Cisse, received control of Camp Geille—France’s largest military installation in the country as well as the French air detachment at Dakar’s international airport. Pascal Ianni, commander of French forces in Africa, was present to formalize the transfer.
Speaking at the event, Ianni acknowledged the transition as “the end of France’s permanent military presence in Senegal,” but emphasized a new phase of military cooperation built on mutual respect and evolving strategic interests.
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General Cisse, however, made it clear that the future of such cooperation would be different.
“The direction of Senegal-France relations must reflect the political will of both nations and demonstrate deeper respect for our sovereignty,” he said.
This historic withdrawal follows a growing wave of African resistance to foreign military footprints. Since 2022, countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Côte d’Ivoire have all demanded the exit of foreign troops—both French and American and the return of military installations to local control.
The shift accelerated after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, in his New Year’s address on December 31, 2024, called on French forces to fully vacate Senegalese territory, signaling a new chapter in the country’s post-independence military sovereignty.
French troops have maintained a presence in Senegal since 1960, the year the nation gained independence often under the banner of training, cooperation, or counterterrorism.
As Senegal reclaims control of its military facilities, the broader Sahel and West African region continues to assert its political and security autonomy. The question now is whether a new, non-exploitative model of partnership with former colonial powers can emerge or whether Africa must go it alone.
