Ivory Coast tells French troops to leave West African country
Ivory Coast has announced that French troops will withdraw from the West African nation, further reducing the former colonial power’s military influence in the region.
In his year-end address, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara said the move was a reflection of the modernization of the country’s armed forces.
Separately, Senegal, which announced last month that France would have to close its military bases on its territory, confirmed that the withdrawal would be completed by the end of 2025.
Ivory Coast is home to the largest remaining contingent of French troops in West Africa.
There are about 600 French military personnel in the country and 350 in Senegal.
France, whose colonial rule in West Africa ended in the 1960s, has already withdrawn its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups and rising anti-French sentiment in those countries.
The government of Chad – a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region – abruptly ended its defense cooperation agreement with France in November.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said: “I have instructed the Minister of the Armed Forces to propose a new principle for cooperation in defense and security, which would include, among other outcomes, ending all foreign military presence in Senegal by 2025. is included.”
Faye was elected in March on a promise to grant sovereignty and end dependence on foreign countries.
France will maintain a small presence in Gabon.
For more than three decades following its independence from France, Ivory Coast (also known by its French name, Côte d’Ivoire) has been known for its religious and ethnic harmony as well as its well-developed economy. Used to go.
The West African country was hailed as a model of stability. But in 2002, an armed rebellion divided the country into two. As the country slowly moves toward a political resolution to the conflict, peace agreements are being accompanied by renewed violence.
Despite instability, Ivory Coast is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa beans, and its citizens enjoy relatively high levels of income compared to other countries in the region.
