On Wednesday, Ivory Coast made a significant announcement regarding the future of its military relationship with France. The West African country confirmed that French troops, stationed in the region for decades, would begin withdrawing from Ivorian soil this month. This marks another shift in the growing trend across Africa, where former colonial powers are seeing a reduction in their military presence.
In a statement, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara confirmed that the withdrawal would begin promptly, with the handover of the French Marines Infantry Battalion (BIMA) base in Port-Bouët to Ivorian forces slated for January 2025.
“It is within this framework that we have decided on the withdrawal of French forces in Ivory Coast,” Ouattara said, adding that the 43rd BIMA base would be returned to the Ivorian military by early 2025.
At its peak, France maintained up to 600 troops in Ivory Coast, underscoring the long-standing military partnership between the two nations. However, this move is part of a broader pattern across West Africa, where several countries have called for the removal of French military personnel. These requests reflect a wider shift in the region’s political landscape, as many African nations seek to redefine their relationship with former colonial powers.
The decision to scale down military cooperation with France comes amid a rising wave of anti-French sentiment in several African countries, particularly in the Sahel and West Africa. In recent years, countries like Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso have followed suit, expelling French troops who had been stationed in the region for decades.
These changes are seen by analysts as part of a broader structural transformation in Africa’s engagement with France. While France has been a key military ally in the region, particularly in the fight against Islamist insurgencies, the continent’s growing push for greater autonomy is shifting the dynamics of its relationships with former colonial powers.
For France, this withdrawal represents a significant setback. Once a dominant power in West Africa, France has spent the last several years trying to maintain and even revitalise its influence on the continent, both politically and militarily. However, these recent developments signal that its military footprint is shrinking as African nations seek to take greater control over their security affairs.
The pull out of French troops from Ivory Coast, along with similar actions in other countries, marks a new chapter in the evolution of France’s involvement in Africa. It remains to be seen how this shift will impact the broader geopolitical landscape and what role other international powers, such as China and Russia, may play in filling the gap left by France.