France on Thursday formally handed back its last two military bases in Senegal, leaving Paris with no permanent camps in either West or Central Africa.
The pull-out, which ends the French army’s 65 years in Senegal, mirrors similar withdrawals across the continent, where former colonies are increasingly turning their backs on their former ruler.
France returned Camp Geille, its largest base in the West African country, and its airfield at Dakar airport, in a ceremony attended by top French and Senegalese officials.
They included Senegalese chief of staff General Mbaye Cisse and General Pascal Ianni, the head of the French forces in Africa.
Cisse said the “new objectives” were aimed at “giving new content to the security partnership”.
Senegalese troops were working “to consolidate the numerous skills gained it its quest for strategic autonomy”, he added.
Around 350 French soldiers, primarily tasked with conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, are now leaving, marking the end of a three-month departure process that began in March.
After storming to victory in 2024 elections promising radical change, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded France withdraw troops from the country by 2025.
Faye has insisted that Senegal will keep working with Paris.
“Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country, and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” Faye said at the end of 2024.
Faye has also urged Paris to apologise for colonial atrocities, including the massacre on December 1, 1944, of dozens of African soldiers who had fought for France in World War II.
Only Djibouti will be home to a permanent French army base following Thursday’s withdrawal. France intends to make its base in Djibouti, with some 1,500 people, its military headquarters for Africa.