France has formally concluded its decades-long military presence in Senegal, handing back its final two bases and marking the end of a 65-year deployment in the West African state. The closure of Camp Geille in Dakar and the adjacent airfield at Blaise Diagne International Airport signifies the culmination of France’s broader military retreat from West and Central Africa.
The ceremonial handover was attended by Senegal’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Mbaye Cissé, and General Pascal Ianni, the commander of French forces in Africa. In his address, General Cissé referred to the withdrawal as “an important turning point in the rich and long military journey of our two countries,” and reiterated Senegal’s ambition to achieve strategic autonomy in defence matters. He emphasised that Senegalese forces are working to consolidate the operational competencies developed during decades of joint operations.
The withdrawal of approximately 350 French troops follows a three-month departure process initiated in March 2025. These troops were primarily involved in cooperative security missions with Senegalese forces. French military infrastructure in the country had long been viewed as a symbol of post-colonial influence in the region.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who assumed office following a landslide election victory in 2024 on a platform advocating for institutional reform and national sovereignty, had set a firm deadline for the departure of all foreign forces from Senegal by the end of 2025. In a statement made in December 2024, he declared: “Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country, and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country.”
Nonetheless, President Faye has been careful to distinguish between military disengagement and diplomatic estrangement. While asserting that Senegal will treat France as it would any other foreign power, he affirmed that Paris remains “an important partner for Senegal.” Faye has also called upon France to issue a formal apology for historical injustices committed during the colonial period, notably the massacre of African soldiers at Thiaroye on 1 December 1944 — a tragic episode during which dozens of Senegalese Tirailleurs, who had fought for France in World War II, were executed.
This development is part of a broader regional realignment. In recent years, France has faced increasing scepticism and resistance from its former African colonies. Military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, having seized power in a series of coups between 2020 and 2023, have severed ties with Paris and pivoted towards alternative partners, including the Russian Federation. The Central African Republic has also reduced French military presence, while Chad and Côte d’Ivoire witnessed similar withdrawals earlier this year.
With the closure of Senegalese bases, France now maintains only one permanent military presence on the continent — in the strategically situated Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti. This installation, which houses approximately 1,500 personnel, is set to become the principal hub for French military operations in Africa.
In the evolving geopolitical landscape, French officials have framed the transition as a shift in operational philosophy rather than a full disengagement. General Ianni remarked that “we have to do things differently, and we don’t need permanent bases to do so,” suggesting future partnerships will favour flexibility and collaboration over fixed installations.
As jihadist violence continues to destabilise large parts of the Sahel — with Mali recently suffering renewed attacks near its border with Senegal — the challenge now for West African nations will be to manage security autonomously while recalibrating their foreign policy alignments. For Senegal, the path forward appears to rest on strengthening internal capabilities while preserving strategic ties with international actors under terms defined by its own sovereign priorities.
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