Senegal and Chad have announced their rejection of any continued French military presence on their territories, signaling a significant shift in their foreign policy and defense strategies.
In Senegal, President Basserou Diomaye Faye declared that foreign military bases are incompatible with the nation’s sovereignty.
Speaking in an interview with AFP, he emphasized, “Senegal is an independent country.
A sovereign state, and sovereignty is not compatible with the presence of foreign military bases in a sovereign state.”
Faye revealed that he had received a letter from French President Emmanuel Macron, in which Macron acknowledged France’s responsibility for the 1944 Thiaroye massacre near Dakar.
The letter, delivered ahead of an 80th-anniversary commemoration of the tragedy, described it as a “massacre, very clearly, without ambiguity in the terminology.”
Faye praised the acknowledgment as a “significant step” and hinted that Senegal might seek reparations for the victims’ families.
While reaffirming France’s role as an important partner in investments and trade, President Faye stressed the need for a military-free partnership.
“The French authorities must consider establishing a partnership without a military presence but one that is rich, fruitful, distinctive, and global, like the partnerships we have with many other nations,” he said, referencing countries such as China and Turkey that lack bases in Senegal.
In Chad, a similar stance was taken as the government announced the termination of its defense cooperation agreement with France.
Foreign Minister Abderrahmane Kalamallah stated, “The government of Chad has decided to cancel the defense cooperation agreement signed with the French Republic.”
The move came shortly after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Chad. Chad has historically been a key Western ally in countering jihadist threats in the Sahel region.
However, the country is now seeking to redefine its strategic alliances, particularly as its ties with Russia grow stronger.
Chad’s government assured a smooth transition and maintained that the decision would not harm its broader relationship with France.
Both nations’ moves reflect a broader reconfiguration of geopolitical relationships in Africa, where a growing number of countries are reconsidering their historical alliances with Western powers.
