Senegal‘s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko hinted on Thursday at the potential closure of French military bases in his country, located in West Africa.
Sonko stated, “After more than 60 years of independence, we must question why the French army still benefits from several military bases in our country. We must assess the impact of this presence on our national sovereignty and strategic independence.”
“I reiterate Senegal‘s desire to have its own control, which contradicts the permanent presence of foreign military bases in Senegal. Many countries have signed defense agreements, but this does not justify the fact that one-third of Dakar’s area is now occupied by foreign troops,” he added.
Neighboring countries Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have expelled French forces and turned to Russia for assistance in combating insurgent movements on their territories.
Sonko is known for criticizing France’s colonial excesses, and France currently has around 350 soldiers in Senegal.
French influence in Africa suffered a significant blow after the military council in Niger requested France to withdraw its troops following complete withdrawals from Mali in August 2022 and the termination of military cooperation with Burkina Faso in February of the same year.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on September 24 the end of military cooperation with Niger, initiating the gradual withdrawal of around 1,500 French soldiers, completing the French forces’ withdrawal from Niger last December.
Before the coup in July, Niger was a key security partner for France and the United States, which used it as a base to assist in the war against groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and ISIS, resulting in thousands of casualties and the displacement of millions across the Sahel region and beyond.
Relations between Niger and France soured shortly after the July coup, with several protests erupting around the French military base in Niger. The French embassy was also attacked afterward.
Following in the footsteps of military councils in Mali and Burkina Faso, military leaders in Niger ordered the expulsion of the French ambassador.
French presence dates back to 2013 when Paris deployed up to 5,500 troops as part of Operation Barkhane, in collaboration with the armed forces of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, joined by European special forces, receiving intelligence and logistical support from Washington originating from an American base in Niamey.
However, the military regimes that emerged after successive military coups in the three countries requested the departure of the French, marking a significant setback for Western influence in the region.
Counterterrorism operations require bilateral agreements, especially with Germany and Italy.
