France officially ended its permanent military presence in Senegal on Thursday, leaving its last two bases in the capital, Dakar.
The largest French military facility in Senegal, Camp Geille and the base at Dakar airport, were handed over to the Senegalese authorities during an official ceremony attended by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Senegal, General Mbaye Cisse, and the Commander of French Forces in Africa, General Pascal Ianni.
These bases were home to around 350 French troops. The withdrawal process began in March, with France already handing over several facilities to Senegal.
Since 2022, the French army has also ended its permanent presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon. In many of these countries, the bases have been converted into training camps. After gaining independence, Senegal remained one of France’s most reliable partners in the region, where Paris has long maintained influence as a former colonial power.
In December 2023, France withdrew its troops from Niger, where they had been stationed for ten years and participated in operations against terrorist groups in the Sahel region.
After his election in 2024, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded the complete withdrawal of French troops by 2025. However, unlike other countries in the region, Faye stated his intention to continue cooperation with France.
