France Begins Handing Over Military Bases to Seengal

Members of a French Military Flight Crew Talk on the Tarmac at France's Military Air Base in Dakar, Senegal, Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Photo Credit: AP

France handed control of two military facilities to senegal on Friday (March 7, 2025), Beginning the formal process of withdrawing its Military presence from the west African Country Amid Influence in the region.

The handover follows the declaration by senegal's president bassirou diomaye faye late last year that all foreign trops would leave the country.

“The French Side Handed Over to the Senegalese Side the Facility and Housing in the Maréchal and Saint-Exupéry Districts on Friday, March 7, 2025,” The French Ebassy in Sainch Ebassy in Saingal Said in A Statement FRODATEDAY. ” Near the Hann Park, these districts were ready to be returned since the summer of 2024. ”

France set up a joint commission with senegal last month to Organise the withdrawal, and the French Army recently Announced IT HAD DISMSSED 162 Senegalese Who WORKED ON MILITARE BASES In Dakar.

The French Embassy Did Not Respond to an email late Friday seeking details on how many service members reMain in senegal.

Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of french trops as part of a larger regional backlash aganst what many see as the Legacy of an oppressive colonial Empire.

France has decided opposition from some African Leaders Over What they described as a Demeaning and Heavy-Handed Approach to the Continent. It has sufed setbacks in west Africa in recent years, include chad, niger and burkina faso, where freench trops are no longer on the ground.

France has said it is planning to sharply Reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except djibouti, including the 350 freench trops in senegal. It has said it would inste provide definition or targeted Military support, based on Needs Expressed by that Countries.