France loses another ally in Africa

Ivory Coast expels French troops, marking a new setback for Paris amid growing rejection of its military presence in West Africa

Ivory Coast announced on Tuesday that French troops will leave the country after a decades-long military presence, becoming the latest African nation to reduce military ties with its former colonial power.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara said the withdrawal will begin in January 2025. France maintains up to 600 troops in Ivory Coast.

“We have decided on the concerted and organized withdrawal of French forces in Ivory Coast,” he said, adding that the Port Bouët infantry battalion, administered by the French army, will be handed over to Ivorian troops.

Ouattara’s announcement follows those of other leaders in West Africa, where French military forces are being asked to leave. Analysts describe calls for French troops to leave the region as part of a broader structural transformation in the countries’ relationship with Paris.

In recent years, France has suffered similar setbacks in several West African countries, such as Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, where French troops, present for many years, were expelled.

Several West African countries — including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which have experienced recent coups — have also recently called for the French to leave. These include Senegal and Chad, traditionally considered France’s most stable and loyal partner in Africa.

The reduction in military ties comes as France tries to regain its declining political and military influence on the continent by devising a new strategy that will drastically reduce the permanent presence of troops in Africa.

Since the end of its colonial rule, France has been expelled from more than 70% of the African countries where it maintained a military presence. Currently, the French only remain in Djibouti, with 1,500 soldiers, and in Gabon, with 350.

Analysts point out that these developments are part of a broader structural transformation in the region’s relationship with Paris, amid growing local sentiment against France, especially in countries that have suffered coups d’état.

After expelling French troops, the military leaders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso approached Russia, which has mercenaries active in the Sahel, accused of abuses against civilians.

However, the security situation in these countries has worsened, with an increase in extremist attacks and civilian deaths caused by both armed groups and government forces.

With information from AP