On Thursday, July 17, 2025, France formally handed over its last two military bases in Senegal, marking the end of a 65-year permanent troop presence in the West African nation and closing the chapter on its military footprint in West and Central Africa. The handover ceremony took place in Dakar, Senegal’s capital, where French officials returned Camp Geille—their largest base in the country—and a nearby airfield to Senegalese authorities.
The event was attended by Senegal’s Chief of the General Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, and General Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa. General Cissé described the handover as “an important turning point in the rich and long military journey of our two countries,” emphasizing the new objectives aimed at “giving new content to the security partnership.” He highlighted Senegal’s pursuit of strategic autonomy, saying the country’s armed forces are working “to consolidate the numerous skills gained in its quest for strategic autonomy.”
General Ianni echoed this sentiment, stating that France is “reinventing partnerships in a dynamic Africa” and that “we have to do things differently, and we don't need permanent bases to do so.” He underscored that the withdrawal “takes nothing away from the sacrifices made yesterday by our brothers-in-arms in Africa for our respective interests.”
The departure of roughly 350 French soldiers, who had been primarily engaged in joint operations with the Senegalese military, concluded a three-month withdrawal process that began in March 2025. This move follows a directive from Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who came to power in 2024 promising radical change and demanding the withdrawal of all French troops from Senegal by the end of 2025.
Unlike neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—where military juntas have expelled French forces and sought Russian military support—Senegal’s President Faye has insisted on maintaining cooperation with Paris, albeit on new terms. He has emphasized Senegal’s sovereignty and independence, stating in late 2024, “Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country, and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country.” Nevertheless, Faye reaffirmed that “France remains an important partner for Senegal.”
Faye’s administration has also urged France to apologize for colonial-era atrocities, including the massacre on December 1, 1944, when dozens of African soldiers who had fought for France in World War II were killed—a historical wound that continues to shape relations. French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged France’s role in the massacre, a gesture welcomed by Faye but deemed insufficient to justify a continued French military presence.
The handover of military assets also included the transfer of a communications center in Rufisque, near Dakar, on July 15, 2025, a facility that had managed communications along the southern Atlantic coast since Senegal’s independence in 1960. The dismissal of all Senegalese staff employed by French troops as of July 1, 2025, signaled a clear end to the longstanding military cooperation framework.
Senegal’s journey reflects a broader regional and continental trend. Across Africa, former French colonies are reevaluating their military and political ties with Paris. France has already closed or significantly reduced its military presence in several countries. Earlier in 2025, France handed back its sole remaining base in Ivory Coast and turned over the Kossei base in Chad, its last foothold in the Sahel region, which has been wracked by jihadist violence and political instability.
Between 2020 and 2023, coups in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali brought military strongmen to power, all of whom severed ties with France and sought military support from Russia. The Central African Republic, another former French colony, has also demanded a French military pullout, with Kremlin-backed mercenaries filling the vacuum.
Despite these setbacks, France maintains a presence in Gabon, where its military base has been transformed into a shared camp focused on training, with around 350 troops expected to be reduced to about 100. Ivory Coast still hosts approximately 80 French servicemen who provide advisory and training roles. The only permanent French military base left in Africa is in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa, where about 1,500 personnel are stationed. France plans to designate this base as its military headquarters for the continent.
This strategic shift is part of a deliberate French policy to move away from permanent military bases toward more flexible, partnership-based engagements. Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesperson for the French military’s chief of defense staff, explained that France would now provide defense training or targeted military support based on the expressed needs of African countries, rather than maintaining a fixed presence.
President Macron first hinted at this reevaluation in 2020, promising to restructure France’s Barkhane force, which had been deployed to combat terrorism in the Sahel. By February 2023, troop reductions were announced, reflecting growing anti-French sentiment and increasing geopolitical competition from nations like Russia and China.
Senegal’s President Faye highlighted this evolving dynamic, noting, “Today, China is our largest trading partner in terms of investment and trade. Does China have a military presence in Senegal? No. Does that mean our relations are cut? No.” His vision is to redefine Senegal’s partnerships on equal footing, emphasizing economic and diplomatic ties over military dependence.
The withdrawal from Senegal also comes amid escalating security concerns in the Sahel region. The ongoing jihadist insurgency in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger has spilled southwards, threatening Gulf of Guinea nations, including Senegal. Recent attacks, such as the assault on a Malian town bordering Senegal, underscore the fragile security environment.
For Senegal, the end of the French military presence represents a historic assertion of sovereignty and a step toward greater self-reliance. As General Cissé quoted Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of “The Little Prince” who once lived in Dakar, “For each ending there is always a new departure.” Senegal’s new defense strategy aims to affirm the autonomy of its armed forces while contributing to peace regionally and globally.
The French military’s departure from Senegal closes a significant chapter in post-colonial African history. It symbolizes the continent’s shifting geopolitical landscape, where former colonial ties are being reevaluated, and new partnerships forged. France’s military footprint in Africa is shrinking, but its influence is being reshaped through diplomacy, training, and targeted support rather than permanent bases.
