Senegal calls for French troop withdrawal as hostilities against Paris thickens
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has declared plans to end the presence of French troops in the country, signaling a significant shift in Senegal’s foreign policy.
“There will soon be no more French soldiers in Senegal,” Faye declared in an interview with Le Monde, stressing the need to uphold national sovereignty.
This marks the first official call from Senegal’s government for French forces to leave, though Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko had raised similar concerns earlier in May 2024.
French troops have been stationed in Senegal since its independence in 1960, primarily for training and regional security missions, with approximately 350 French soldiers currently based in the country.
The announcement aligns with growing anti-French sentiment across West Africa, where nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have expelled French forces, citing a desire to redefine their security arrangements.
President Faye’s comments coincide with the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, in which African riflemen demanding pay were killed by French forces in 1944. Faye revealed that French President Emmanuel Macron had formally acknowledged the massacre but stressed the need for further investigation into the tragedy.
Faye also questioned the appropriateness of foreign military bases in sovereign nations. Speaking to France 2, he remarked:”As French people, do you envisage seeing us in your country with tanks or with military vehicles, Senegalese soldiers with Senegalese uniforms? I don’t think so because historically, France enslaved, colonized and stayed,” he said.
Recall that Chad recently terminated a defense agreement with France, echoing the stance of Sahel nations that seek independence from former colonial powers while fostering regional integration through initiatives like the Alliance of Sahel States.
