France transfers military base to Senegal

(MENAFN) France has officially handed over a military communications base in western Senegal to the country’s authorities following the withdrawal of its troops, according to an announcement by the French embassy. This transfer marks a significant step after Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye last year called for the termination of a longstanding defense agreement with France, labeling it “incompatible” with Senegal’s sovereignty.

The joint broadcasting station in Rufisque has played a key role in military communications along Senegal’s southern Atlantic coast since 1960, the French mission in Dakar stated on Tuesday.

France began its troop withdrawal from Senegal in March, returning facilities such as the Marechal and Saint-Exupery military bases to the Senegalese government. In May, the Contre-Amiral Protet camp at Dakar’s port was also handed back. A bilateral commission, set up by both countries to manage the process, has confirmed that the transfer of bases and the pullout of around 350 French soldiers are scheduled to conclude by the end of 2025.

The embassy clarified on Tuesday that “the last sites will be returned by the end of July 2025, according to the commonly agreed schedule,” while the commission works on efforts to “renew the bilateral defense and security partnership.”

Senegal, which gained independence from France in 1960, has traditionally been one of France’s most dependable allies in West Africa. However, in November, newly inaugurated President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who assumed office in April 2024, declared his intention to completely remove the French military presence from the country.

Earlier this year, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko criticized France, stating that it lacked the capacity and legitimacy to ensure Africa’s security and sovereignty. His comments came after French President Emmanuel Macron’s assertion that Sahel countries had “forgotten” to express gratitude to Paris for its military efforts against jihadist threats—a remark that provoked widespread discontent.

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