By Ebi Kesiena
France on Thursday officially handed over its final two military bases to Senegal, drawing the curtain on a six-decade presence in the West African nation. The symbolic transfer marks a major shift in France-Senegal relations amid growing demands for sovereignty and the rejection of foreign military influence across the region.
According to officials, the ceremony in Dakar was presided over by Senegal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, and Pascal Ianni, head of the French command in Africa. General Cissé described the move as “a historic turning point” in the military partnership between the two countries and said it opens the door to a redefined cooperation based on mutual respect and strategic independence.
“The Senegalese armed forces are determined to build on the gains already made in our pursuit of strategic autonomy,” he said, signalling a new phase in the nation’s defence posture.
The last of the French bases, Camp Geille, which hosted some 350 French troops, now reverts to Senegalese command. France had maintained a permanent military presence in the country since Senegal gained independence in 1960, though most of its installations had already been decommissioned over the past year.
The closure aligns with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s pledge to end foreign military deployments by 2025, part of a broader nationalist agenda that resonated strongly with voters. In recent years, anti-French sentiment has surged, with critics accusing Paris of perpetuating neo-colonial control. That anger spilled into mass protests in 2021, during which French businesses were targeted and vandalised.
Declaring Senegal’s right to self-determination, President Faye had said, “Sovereignty does not tolerate foreign military bases on our soil.”
With France’s exit, Senegal joins a growing list of African nations redefining their security relationships and asserting full control over their territories.
