France has officially transferred control of a military base in Senegal back to local authorities, marking a significant step in its wider withdrawal from the West African nation.
On Tuesday, French forces handed over a communications facility in Rufisque, a coastal town near the capital Dakar, the French embassy in Senegal confirmed. The base had served as a key communications hub along the southern Atlantic coast since Senegal gained independence in 1960.
The move is part of a phased withdrawal process initiated earlier this year, following Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s announcement in late 2023 that all French military bases in the country must close by 2025. The first transfers to Senegalese control began in March.
Senegal, a former French colony, had long maintained close military ties with France. However, since coming to power in 2024, President Faye has taken steps to redefine the country’s relationship with France, insisting on treating it as a regular foreign partner rather than a privileged ally.
In line with this shift, all Senegalese nationals employed by the French military in the country are to be dismissed this July, signalling a clear break from the previous era of close defence cooperation.
