The French military on Thursday, July 17, officially completed its withdrawal from Senegal, marking the end of its last permanent troop deployment in West Africa. During a handover ceremony in Dakar, France transferred control of Camp Geille and an adjacent air facility to the Senegalese Government, symbolising a significant shift in regional dynamics and a broader recalibration of Franco-African military relations.
The move aligns with France’s broader decision to dismantle permanent bases across West and Central Africa following mounting criticism from African leaders who have decried Paris’ approach as paternalistic and overbearing.
General Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, described the transition as the beginning of a new chapter in Franco-Senegalese military cooperation. Senegal’s top military officer, General Mbaye Cissé, welcomed the withdrawal, stating it reflects the nation’s evolving defence posture aimed at strengthening the autonomy of its armed forces and contributing meaningfully to peace across the continent and beyond. The development underscores a growing trend across Africa where former colonies are asserting greater control over security frameworks and redefining partnerships on more equitable terms.