France Transfers Long-Held Military Base in Côte d'Ivoire to Local Control

The Port-Bouët base near Abidjan, occupied by French forces for nearly 50 years, is now under Ivorian command as part of a broader military reorganization in Africa.

The French military officially transferred the Port-Bouët base near Abidjan to the Ivorian army during a ceremony attended by defense ministers from both nations.
The base, renamed Camp Thomas d'Aquin Ouattara, honors Côte d'Ivoire's first army chief of staff and will host Ivorian troops, including a battalion of parachutists already stationed there.
This transfer is part of France's broader reconfiguration of its military presence in Africa, following forced withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger due to political tensions.
Approximately 100 French soldiers will remain in Côte d'Ivoire for training and support missions, maintaining a cooperative military relationship between the two nations.
The move reflects a strategic shift in France's approach to African defense partnerships, emphasizing collaboration without permanent military bases.