France officially transferred control of 2 military sites back to Senegal
In a formal handover on Friday, France relinquished control of two military installations located in Dakar to the Senegalese government, as announced in a statement by the French Embassy in Senegal.
Following the resolution adopted by the joint commission on February 28, and under the framework of the military cooperation treaty between France and Senegal signed on April 18, 2012, France has officially handed over the facilities and accommodations of the Marechal and Saint-Exupery quarters to Senegal.
The French embassy has announced that two locations near Hann Park have been ready for transfer since the summer of 2024. Additional military sites are slated to be handed over in accordance with the established timetable.
In an official announcement made in late December 2024, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye unveiled a strategic initiative to establish a new doctrine of cooperation. This plan seeks to systematically phase out all foreign military forces from the nation, commencing in 2025.
In a subsequent development, Faye confirmed to the French media the decision to close France’s longstanding military installation in Senegal.
Senegal’s policy transformation concerning foreign military deployments, especially the French forces, was initiated in 2010 under the leadership of former President Abdoulaye Wade. Since that time, the contingent of French troops stationed in Senegal has seen a reduction, decreasing from 1,200 personnel to around 350.
In recent developments across the Sahel, military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have ousted French forces, leading to comprehensive reevaluations of international military presence in the region.
Chad has joined the growing trend by declaring the cessation of its defense and security partnership with France, set for November 2024. Concurrently, Cote d’Ivoire took over the management of the final French military base on its soil as of February 2025.
