France has officially handed over two military sites in Dakar to Senegal as part of a broader shift in military cooperation. This decision aligns with previous agreements and reflects Senegal’s new policy to remove foreign military presence by 2025, as announced by President Faye. The region has seen similar trends regarding foreign military forces, especially concerning France.

On Friday, France transferred control of two military sites in Dakar, Senegal, to the Senegalese authorities, as confirmed by the French Embassy in Senegal. This action aligns with the decisions of the joint commission made on February 28 and the military cooperation treaty signed in April 2012 between France and Senegal. The sites, known as Marechal and Saint-Exupery quarters, were prepared for this transition since the summer of 2024.

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced a new cooperation doctrine in late December 2024, aimed at eliminating all foreign military presence in Senegal starting in 2025. This initiative came after Faye’s earlier statement regarding the closure of France’s permanent military base in the country. The shift in Senegal’s policy towards foreign military presence has been progressing since 2010 under former President Abdoulaye Wade, resulting in a reduction of French troops in Senegal from 1,200 to around 350.

Recent developments in the Sahel region, where military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger expelled French forces, have contributed to a reevaluation of foreign military deployments. Furthermore, Chad announced the end of its security and defense cooperation agreement with France in November 2024. In a related move, Côte d’Ivoire took control of the last remaining French military base in February 2025.

The transition of military sites from France to Senegal marks a significant shift in Senegalese foreign military policy. With President Faye’s commitment to remove all foreign military presence by 2025, coupled with regional trends in the Sahel, it reflects a broader reassessment of foreign military engagements in West Africa. This development indicates an evolving landscape of international military cooperation in the region.

Original Source: www.shine.cn

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