By Abiola Olawale
France on Thursday officially ended its 65-year military presence in Senegal, marking a significant shift in Franco-Senegalese relations.
The formal handover of the last two French military bases, Camp Geille in Dakar and the aeronautical stopover at the capital’s airport, took place during a ceremonial event attended by Senegal’s Chief of General Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, and General Pascal Ianni, commander of French forces in Africa.
This withdrawal signifies the end of France’s permanent military footprint in West and Central Africa.
The handover ceremony which took place at Camp Geille, a five-hectare military facility in Dakar’s Ouakam district, symbolized Senegal’s reclaimed sovereignty.
The Senegalese flag was raised in place of the French tricolor, marking the end of the French Elements in Senegal (EFS), which comprised 350 troops tasked with joint operations and training with Senegalese forces.
The French withdrawal comes as the Sahel region faces a growing jihadist conflict across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger that is threatening Gulf of Guinea nations to the south. A recent string of attacks this month in Mali included an assault on a town on the border with Senegal.
This development came after Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded that France should withdraw troops from the country by 2025.
Recall that since gaining independence in 1960, Senegal became one of France’s staunchest African allies, playing host to French troops throughout its history.
