France, which has been an unwanted country in the Sahel for the last two years, received a strike from Senegal. France is being asked to leave the country.
France is preparing to withdraw militarily from Senegal. In his national address speech for the new year, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated that all foreign military presence in the country will end in 2025. Faye emphasized that there should be no foreign soldiers in an independent country and instructed the Minister of the Armed Forces to prepare a new doctrine in line with this goal.
France is the only addressee of President Faye's speech, even though the speech does not mention any names. France is the only foreign force in Senegal, with approximately 350 French soldiers. France deployed its power since the country's independence in 1960, primarily for training and regional security operations.
Previously, countries in the Sahel region, such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, had also requested the withdrawal of French soldiers from their countries. Chad was the latest to be added to this list. President Faye, however, asks France to exist in the country with its economic means. Niger, for instance, had asked France to hand over the control of uranium ore facilities and leave the country for sure.
In addition, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced in his New Year's speech that the French military base in the country will be handed over to Ivory Coast this month. These developments mark a significant decrease in France's military presence in Africa. France plans to maintain a military presence on the continent only in Djibouti and Gabon.
