(MENAFN) Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has announced that all foreign military forces must leave the country by the end of July. Currently, French troops are the only foreign military personnel stationed in Senegal, operating under a defense agreement established in 2012.

France has already begun a phased withdrawal, having handed over the Rear Admiral Protet naval base in Dakar on May 15, following earlier transfers of the Marshall and Saint-Exupéry facilities in March. Additional bases will be returned in the coming months.

In an interview with Burkina Faso’s RTB television on Monday, Sonko stated that his government, in power for nearly a year, has been taking steps to reinforce Senegal’s sovereignty. “We have informed all nations with military bases in Senegal that we expect a full withdrawal. Foreign bases will no longer be allowed on our territory,” he said.

He emphasized that the country’s own armed forces are capable of ensuring national security and urged other African states to assert greater control over their own affairs.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had previously described the presence of French troops as “incompatible” with Senegal’s sovereignty. Since taking office, his administration has prioritized reducing foreign military influence, echoing similar moves by other West African countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have ended military cooperation with France and sought partnerships elsewhere, including with Russia.

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