Ivory Coast ends decades-long French military presence

Ivory Coast has announced the departure of French troops by January 2025, marking the end of a decades-long military presence in the country. This decision aligns Ivory Coast with other West African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, and Chad, which have recently downscaled military ties with France, their former colonizer.

In an end-of-year address on Tuesday, President Alassane Ouattara confirmed that the 43rd BIMA marine infantry battalion stationed in Port-Bouet, Abidjan, would be handed over to Ivory Coast’s armed forces.

“We can be proud of our army, whose modernisation is now effective. It is in this context that we have decided on the concerted and organised withdrawal of French forces from Ivory Coast,” Ouattara said.

France, which had nearly 1,000 soldiers stationed in Ivory Coast, has faced increasing resistance to its military presence in Africa. Since November, Chad, Senegal, and now Ivory Coast have joined Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in expelling French troops. This reflects a growing regional shift away from France amid rising anti-colonial sentiment and changing geopolitical alliances.

On December 26, France handed over its first military base in Chad, signaling the diminishing French footprint in the Sahel region. Analysts suggest this trend is part of a broader restructuring of West Africa’s relationship with France, driven by public discontent and political shifts in coup-hit countries.

France, which once maintained a dominant military presence across the continent, has now been pushed out of more than 70 percent of African countries where it previously stationed troops. The French military retains a presence only in Djibouti, with 1,500 soldiers, and Gabon, with 350 personnel.

Amid these developments, France has announced a new military strategy aimed at reducing its permanent troop presence in Africa while attempting to rebuild its waning political and military influence on the continent.

Despite the withdrawal of French forces, Ivory Coast remains an important ally of France. The decision to downscale military ties underscores Ivory Coast’s confidence in its own armed forces and its commitment to modernizing its military capabilities.

This shift also reflects a broader desire among African nations to redefine their relationships with former colonial powers, seeking greater autonomy and new strategic partnerships.

As the region continues to recalibrate its alliances, the withdrawal of French troops marks a significant moment in West Africa’s ongoing transformation, signaling both a move towards self-reliance and a reconfiguration of global power dynamics.