Latest news with #PascalIanni
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
France ends permanent military presence in West Africa
France has withdrawn troops from its last two military bases in Senegal, bringing an end to more than 60 years of presence in the West African nation. The move comes amid a wider push by former colonies to sever military ties with Paris and assert full security sovereignty. On Thursday, the French army handed over Camp Geille – its largest base in Senegal – and an airfield at Dakar airport to Senegalese authorities during a ceremony attended by senior officials from both countries. The event marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of approximately 350 French troops. The French Armed Forces General Staff said the handover of facilities and the dissolution of the French Elements of Senegal (EFS) reaffirmed Paris and its former colony's desire to 'continue their defense partnership in a renewed format.' 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' General Pascal Ianni, the head of the French forces in Africa, also said, according to AP. The pullout from Senegal marks the end of France's permanent military presence in West Africa, following earlier expulsions from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Transitional authorities in Bamako, Niamey, and Ouagadougou have accused Paris of sponsoring terrorism in the Sahel region under the guise of countering jihadist insurgents. Chad also terminated its defense cooperation agreement with France last year. In February, France transferred the Port-Bouet military camp – its only army base in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) – to the West African nation's authorities. In November, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who took office in April 2024, announced his decision to fully remove the French military presence from the country, stating that Senegal's sovereignty is incompatible with hosting foreign bases. Senegalese military chief General Mbaye Cisse said in a speech during the handing over ceremony on Thursday that the primary goal of the withdrawal 'is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion, in Africa, and globally.'
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
France withdraws from Senegal, ending military presence in West Africa
The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, the last West African country where it maintained a permanent troop presence, amid waning regional influence in recent years. Advertisement France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar. General Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, said the handover marked a new phase in military ties. French and Senegalese military at the ceremony. Photo: AFP 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' he said.
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
France ends permanent troop presence in Senegal
France handed over control of its last major military facility in Senegal on Thursday, marking the end of its armed forces' long presence in the West African country and a milestone in a withdrawal from the wider region. The commander of French forces in Africa, Gen Pascal Ianni, handed over a key to the military camp in Dakar during a ceremony at which a Senegalese flag was raised while military musicians played the national anthem. "Today's transfer of camp Geille marks a new stage in the evolution of the partnership between our two armed forces," Ianni told reporters. "It is a response to the Senegalese authorities' wish to no longer have permanent foreign forces present on their territory." Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced last year that France's military bases were incompatible with Senegalese sovereignty and would have to be transferred.
Saudi Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
France withdraws troops from Senegal, ending military presence in West Africa
DAKAR — The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, the last West African country with a permanent troop presence, amid Paris' waning regional influence. France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital Dakar. General Pascal Ianni, head of the French forces in Africa, stated that the handover marked a new phase in military relations. "It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory," he said. Senegal's military chief, General Mbaye Cissé, said the withdrawal supports the country's new defence strategy."Its primary goal is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion, in Africa, and globally," Cissé ceremony marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of roughly 350 French troops from the West African country, which began in military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960, under military cooperation agreements between the two withdrawal followed a call by Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal's sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases."Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accommodate the presence of military bases in a sovereign country", he said last year, adding that Dakar would instead pursue a "renewed partnership" with new government has taken a hard-line stance against the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial has announced plans to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa, except in the eastern African country of said it would instead provide defence training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those has suffered a series of setbacks in West Africa recently, including in Chad and the Ivory Coast, where it handed over its last military bases earlier this follow the ousting of French forces in recent years in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where military-led governments have turned to Russia instead for military 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African Coast still hosts some 80 French servicemen who advise and train the country's military, and Djibouti is the last African country where France has a permanent military presence, with around 1,500 troops. — Euronews
Yomiuri Shimbun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
France Withdraws from Senegal, Ending Its Permanent Military Presence in West Africa
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The French military completed its withdrawal from Senegal on Thursday, the last West African country where it maintained a permanent troop presence, amid waning regional influence in recent years. France has faced opposition from leaders of some of its former colonies in Africa over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. The French military handed over Camp Geille, its largest base in Senegal, along with a nearby air facility, to the Senegalese government during a ceremony in the capital, Dakar. Gen. Pascal Ianni, head of French forces in Africa, said the handover marked a new phase in military ties. 'It is part of France's decision to end permanent military bases in West and Central Africa, and responds to the Senegalese authorities' desire to no longer host permanent foreign forces on their territory,' he said. Senegal's military chief, Gen. Mbaye Cissé, said the withdrawal supports the country's new defense strategy. 'Its primary goal is to affirm the autonomy of the Senegalese armed forces while contributing to peace in the subregion, in Africa, and globally,' Gen. Cissé said. The ceremony marked the completion of a three-month withdrawal of roughly 350 French troops from the West African country, which began in March. France's military had been present in Senegal since it gained independence from France in 1960, under military cooperation agreements between the two countries. The withdrawal followed a call by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year for all foreign troops to leave, citing Senegal's sovereignty as incompatible with hosting foreign bases. Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on the presence of French troops as part of a larger regional backlash against what many see as the legacy of an oppressive colonial empire. France has said it is closing all permanent French military bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti, where France has around 1,500 troops. Col. Guillaume Vernet, spokesman for the French military's chief of the defence staff, said the withdrawal from Senegal is part of a shift away from France's strategy of permanent presence in West and Central Africa toward a more flexible 'partnership' approach. He said the French military would provide countries with defense training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries. France has suffered setbacks in Africa recently, including in Chad and the Ivory Coast where it handed over its last military bases earlier this year. They follow the ousting of French forces in recent years in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where military-led governments have turned to Russia instead for military support. While France is ending its permanent military presence in West and Central Africa, some of its army staff will remain in the region. Around 350 French servicemen are still present in Gabon, where the army has turned its base into a camp shared with the central African nation. In the Ivory Coast, some 80 French servicemen advise and train the country's military.
