Overview

• Senegal officially regained Camp Geille and its coastal air base on July 17 after France withdrew its final 350 troops
• Earlier this year France ended its permanent garrisons in Côte d’Ivoire in January and Chad in February
• Only a binational training centre in Gabon and a 1,500-strong garrison in Djibouti remain under French control
• President Bassirou Diomaye Faye fulfilled his 2024 campaign pledge to end the colonial-era military presence
• The shift reflects West African demands for defense sovereignty and opens space for diversified partnerships beyond France