France on Thursday handed Senegal full control of Camp Geille in Dakar, the final French outpost in the country, closing a 60‑year chapter of permanent military presence across much of West and Central Africa.
Paris has ceded four Senegalese sites since March under a joint withdrawal commission, shrinking its African footprint to Djibouti and a small detachment in Gabon. President Emmanuel Macron signalled the shift during a December 2024 visit to Djibouti, saying France must adapt to “a changing Africa and a changing public mood.”
The drawdown follows a surge of anti‑French sentiment, fuelled by colonial grievances and criticism of French counter‑insurgency missions in the Sahel. Since 2022, new juntas or shifting alliances have forced French departures from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Côte d’Ivoire.
Timeline of recent exits
| Country | Trigger | French troop level | Departure completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mali | 2021 & 2022 coups | 5,000 (Operation Barkhane hub) | Aug 2022 |
| Burkina Faso | Traoré coup, Jan 2023 pact revoked | ≈ 400 | Feb 2023 |
| Niger | Tchiani coup, July 2023 | 1,000–1,500 | Dec 2023 |
| Chad | N’Djamena ends defence pact | ≈ 1,000 | Jan 2025 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | Ouattara announces drawdown | 900 | Feb 2025 |
| Senegal | Dakar demands exit | 350 | July 2025 |
Senegal’s stance
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko argued foreign bases undermined sovereignty. In February, Paris and Dakar agreed a phased handover that began with the Marechal and Saint‑Exupéry compounds and concluded Thursday.
What’s left
France now maintains one large, permanent base in Djibouti and a much smaller presence in Gabon. Officials say future engagements will focus on training, intelligence and ad‑hoc missions requested by African partners rather than long‑term stationing of troops.
The closure in Dakar underscores the region’s push for greater security autonomy as new alliances—such as the Mali‑Burkina Faso‑Niger “Alliance of Sahel States”—reshape the post‑colonial military landscape.