France has officially ended its longstanding military presence in Senegal, transferring its last remaining base to the Senegalese government.
The handover, which took place yesterday marked the final chapter in France’s decades-long military engagement in the country and across much of West Africa.
The final base, Camp Geille in Ouakam, Dakar, was ceremonially handed over in the presence of Senegal’s Chief of General Staff, General Mbaye Cisse, and Major General Pascal Ianni, the head of French military operations in Africa.
This followed previous withdrawals from other key locations, including the Marechal and Saint-Exupery bases in March, the Contre-Amiral Protet site in May, and the Rufisque post earlier this July.
The transfer aligns with a mutual agreement reached on May 16, 2025, by a Franco-Senegalese joint committee, building on their 2012 military cooperation framework.
Discussions about the drawdown began in February of this year, amid a broader pattern of France scaling back its military footprint in West Africa.
According to Euronews, the move also reflects a shift in regional sentiment, with increasing opposition to French military involvement.
Senegal’s reclaiming of the base marks not only the end of French deployment in the country but also the culmination of France’s military retreat from the region.
Senegal is just the latest in a series of African nations where France has withdrawn its forces.
In January 2025, France exited Chad, a move that followed rising tensions between the two countries.
The Chadian government accused France of meddling in its democratic processes, particularly after a January 8 attack on the presidential palace by a group of 24 individuals.
This development came after France severed military ties with Gabon in September 2023 following a coup that removed President Ali Bongo Ondimba and brought General Brice Oligui Nguema to power.
France, which had long backed pro-Western African regimes, ended its cooperation with Gabon’s new transitional leadership.
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In 2022, France was also forced to leave Mali after its ambassador was expelled and the Takuba force disbanded.
Troops from the 4,500-member Operation Barkhane also withdrew from Mali in August 2022.
This was followed by the February 2023 withdrawal of French forces from Burkina Faso, including the elite Operation Sabre unit, after the country’s military-led government requested their departure.
France’s military disengagement from Senegal and other former colonies signals a major shift in African geopolitics.
Across the region, public dissatisfaction over perceived neocolonial interference, ineffective security partnerships, and national sovereignty concerns has been growing.
Governments and citizens alike are demanding more autonomy over internal affairs.
With this latest withdrawal, France’s once-dominant military influence in West Africa continues to diminish at a historic pace.
Image Credit: Peoplesmind.com.ng
