France begins handing over military bases to Senegal

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - France handed control of two military facilities to Senegal on Friday, beginning the formal process of withdrawing its military presence from the West African country amid its waning influence in the region.

The handover follows the declaration by Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye late last year that all foreign troops would leave the country.

"The French side handed over to the Senegalese side the facilities and housing in the Maréchal and Saint-Exupéry districts on Friday, March 7, 2025,” the French Embassy in Senegal said in a statement Friday. "Located near the Hann Park, these districts were ready to be returned since the summer of 2024."

France set up a joint commission with Senegal last month to organize the withdrawal, and the French army recently announced it had dismissed 162 Senegalese who worked on military bases in Dakar.

The French Embassy did not respond to an email late Friday seeking details on how many service members remain in Senegal.

Senegal's new government has taken a hard-line stance on 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 faced opposition from some African leaders over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach to the continent. It has suffered setbacks in West Africa in recent years, including Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, where French troops are no longer on the ground.

France has said it is planning to sharply reduce its presence at all its bases in Africa except Djibouti, including the 350 French troops in Senegal. It has said it could instead provide defense training or targeted military support, based on needs expressed by those countries.