Latest news with #WestAfrican
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Barnama
France Returns Last Military Bases To Senegal, Ends Decades-Long Military Presence: Reports
ISTANBUL, July 17 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- France on Thursday returned its last military bases in Senegal in an official ceremony, marking an end to the former coloniser's decades-long military presence in the West African country, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported, citing French media outlets. A handover ceremony was held at the Camp Geille military base in Ouakam, Dakar, attended by Senegal's Chief of the General Staff, General Mbaye Cisse, and the Head of French Military Command for Africa, Major General Pascal Ianni. The restitution marked the final phase of the French military withdrawal from Senegal, following the return of the Marechal and Saint-Exupery sites on March 7, the Contre-Amiral Protet base at Dakar port on May 15, and the Rufisque military base on July 1.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
France ends permanent troop presence in Senegal
Find out what's new on ST website and app. DAKAR - 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, General 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. The two countries agreed to complete that process by the end of the year and it began in March when France handed over two other facilities, also in Dakar. The process has been more amicable than the departure of French soldiers from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where military juntas have pushed out French troops and turned to Russia for help fighting jihadist insurgencies. Chad, an important Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region, abruptly ended its defence cooperation pact with France last year, forcing its troops to withdraw. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Premium China carmaker Hongqi, known for Xi Jinping's limos, to launch in Singapore in 2026 With a reduced presence in West and Central Africa, France has said it is planning to focus on training, intelligence sharing and responding to requests from countries for assistance. TRAINING TO CONTINUE Ianni said French forces' presence in Senegal dated back more than two centuries, but that a change was needed to reinvent the partnership. General Mbaye Cisse, head of the Senegalese armed forces general staff, said the new agreement would allow Senegal to continue benefiting from training and information exchanges. "We wish all our comrades and their families a safe return to France," he said, adding that he hoped the long history linking the countries would provide a strong base for cooperation. Former colonial ruler France has faced criticism for stationing soldiers in Senegal long after it gained independence in 1960. Senegal has long demanded that Paris properly investigate a massacre in 1944 of African soldiers who fought for France in World War Two. REUTERS
Euronews
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
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 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, 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, 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 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 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 Paris. Senegal's 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 empire. France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except in the eastern African country of Djibouti. It said it would instead provide defence training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries. France 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 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. 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. Ivory 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.
The Hill
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump's foreign and domestic policy goals clash in Africa — can he thread this needle?
President Trump's approach to Africa has shown potential but is reaching a critical point. The president's focus on pursuing greater economic and security cooperation with key countries has gained traction, but it is clashing with competing domestic priorities, like immigration and tariffs. If the administration cannot reconcile these goals, it risks leaving massive opportunities on the table. Trump's recently concluded July summit with five West African leaders displayed many of the characteristics of his second-term Africa strategy thus far — it was direct and transactional, with a focus on areas where interests converge. This strategy has shown substantial promise, albeit unfulfilled. For example, U.S. diplomacy between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda has, for now, limited fighting in their conflict-stricken border area while creating potential opportunities for U.S. investment and critical mineral access as part of a broader peace framework. Such access would conveniently also help the U.S. diminish Chinese dominance of several critical minerals found in the region. The small U.S.-Africa summit focused on a handful of countries — Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal — that can provide the administration a big 'bang for its buck.' All five countries play various roles in Trump's key priorities: combating Chinese influence, stemming migration, accessing critical minerals, and containing the spread of Salafi-jihadi terror groups. They also highlight the central tension of the Trump administration's Africa policy, where foreign policy goals and domestic priorities compete. In Gabon, greater U.S. investment and defense cooperation can address two of Trump's objectives: critical minerals and China. The United States has an opportunity to support Gabonese efforts to grow its domestic refining capacity to counter China's outsized influence on the manganese market, which multiple U.S. agencies list as a critical mineral due to its role in steel production and lithium-ion battery manufacturing. Gabon has little domestic refinement capability, exporting most of its manganese to China. China has the second-largest manganese reserves and is largest manganese consumer but is heavily reliant on imports, 22 percent of which come from Gabon. However, Gabon has made it a priority to boost domestic refining capacity and courted U.S. investment to help reach this goal. Greater economic engagement opens other opportunities to counter China. Gabon is a top target of Chinese efforts to secure an Atlantic coast naval base, and the two countries conducted joint naval exercises earlier in 2025. However, Gabon's president has so far rejected China's base overtures and tried to balance ties with the West. Gabonese forces have also participated in numerous U.S.-led exercises and training programs over the last decade. Stronger partnerships with Mauritania and Senegal can also address two of Trump's other key objectives: migration and terrorism. Mauritania and Senegal have become increasingly popular destinations for migrants attempting to reach Europe and — to a lesser extent — the U.S. Both countries are also next-door to the ' epicenter ' of global terrorism, where strengthening al Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates 'could have the capacity to attack the homeland,' according to U.S. officials. The U.S. should coordinate with its European partners and build upon pre-existing ties with Mauritania and Senegal to address these shared challenges. On migration, the U.S. can augment the efforts of the European Union, which has already invested hundreds of millions of dollars into both countries to address the root drivers of migration and help security forces contain illegal migration. The U.S. and European allies should build upon preexisting defense cooperation with both countries to help address shared security concerns, especially given the terror groups increasingly pose a direct threat to Mauritania and Senegal. Looking beyond the countries that attended the summit, Trump has said he wants to revive peace talks in Sudan. Doing so would bolster Trump's status as a peacemaker, help address the world's largest humanitarian and migrant crisis, and support his Red Sea strategy by containing opportunistic Iranian and Russian efforts to access Sudan's Red Sea coast. U.S. officials should use their peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a template and bring key external actors — namely the United Arab Emirates, which is a major U.S. defense partner and a critical backer of one of the warring sides — to the table. Doing so will help limit the scale of the violence and create space for the U.S. to bring in other partners to help engage the Sudanese factions. But amid these many opportunities to pursue peace, power and prosperity in Africa, there are clear tension points with Trump's 'America First' domestic agenda. The president's tariffs, for example, undermine his 'trade, not aid' and 'equal partnership' mantras, encouraging other countries to turn to China. Beijing continues to give nearly the entire continent no-tariff access to its markets, which helps expand the already sizeable gap between Chinese and U.S. trade figures with Africa. The Trump administration and Congress should consider ways to save and improve the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which has given African countries tariff-free access to U.S. markets for 25 years, instead of killing it altogether. Trump himself said he would 'look into' saving the program during the recent summit. On migration, some U.S. policies have further undermined Trump's narrative of an equal U.S.-Africa partnership. Multiple African officials condemned visa restrictions and tariffs as unacceptable and counterproductive during the U.S.-Africa business summit in June. This backlash highlights that U.S. officials should seek to limit the damage hardline policies in this area have on commercial and diplomatic ties with Africa. The administration's push to have African countries accept third-nation migrants deported from the United States, while threatening two-thirds of the continent with a travel ban, also appears lopsided. The administration has a chance to fine-tune aid cuts and travel restrictions in ways that support the president's Africa agenda. Saving a program like Power Africa, which supported energy and internet projects, is one clear opportunity. The United States can help African countries generate the electricity they need to boost critical mineral production and refinement and secure American access to resources in places such as Gabon. Growing the number of African student visas — where China has a numbers advantage — is another way to ensure the United States is building ties with the continent's best and brightest, as Africa's youth boom positions it to emerge as a major force in the coming decades. The first six months of Trump's second term have shown the promise of Trump's approach to the continent. But U.S.-Africa relations do not take place in a vacuum. Trump will have to continue to thread the needle between his domestic agenda and foreign policy goals to fulfill this massive potential and truly redefine U.S.-Africa relations in a way that will leave a lasting legacy.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
French army leaves Senegal ending military presence in West Africa
France on Thursday (July 17, 2025) formally handed back its last two military bases in Senegal, leaving Paris with no permanent camps in either West or Central Africa. Ending the French army's 65 years in Senegal, the pull-out comes after similar withdrawals across the continent, with former colonies increasingly turning their backs on their former ruler. The French withdrawal comes as the Sahel region faces a growing jihadist conflict across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger that is threatening Gulf of Guinea nations to the south. A recent string of attacks this month in Mali included an assault on a town on the border with Senegal. France returned Camp Geille, its largest base in the West African country, and its airfield at Dakar airport, in a ceremony attended by top French and Senegalese officials, including Senegalese chief of staff General Mbaye Cisse and General Pascal Ianni, the head of the French forces in Africa. Around 350 French soldiers, primarily tasked with conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, are now leaving, marking the end of a three-month departure process that began in March. After storming to victory in the 2024 elections, promising radical change, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded France withdraw troops from the country by 2025. Unlike the leaders of other former colonies, such as junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, however, Mr. Faye has insisted that Senegal will keep working with Paris. 'Sovereignty' After gaining independence in 1960, Senegal became one of France's staunchest African allies, playing host to French troops throughout its history. Mr. Faye's predecessor, Macky Sall, continued that tradition. Mr. Faye, who ran on a ticket promising a clean break with the Sall era, has said that Senegal would treat France like any other foreign partner. Pledging to make his country more self-sufficient, the president gave a deadline of the end of 2025 for all foreign armies to withdraw. 'Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,' Mr. Faye said at the end of 2024, while maintaining that 'France remains an important partner for Senegal'. Mr. Faye has also urged Paris to apologise for colonial atrocities, including the massacre on December 1, 1944, of dozens of African troops who had fought for France in World War II. Continent-wide pull-out With governments across Africa increasingly questioning France's military presence, Paris has closed or reduced numbers at bases across its former empire. In February France handed back its sole remaining base in Ivory Coast, ending decades of French presence at the site. The month before, France turned over the Kossei base in Chad, its last military foothold in the unrest-hit Sahel region. Coups in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali between 2020 and 2023 have swept military strongmen to power. All have cut ties with France and turned to Russia instead for help in fighting the Sahel's decade-long jihadist insurgency. The Central African Republic, also a former French colony to which the Kremlin has sent mercenaries, has likewise demanded a French pull-out. Meanwhile the army has turned its base in Gabon into a camp shared with the central African nation. Only the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti will be home to a permanent French army base following Thursday's (July 17, 2025) withdrawal. France intends to make its base in Djibouti, with some 1,500 people, its military headquarters for Africa.
