Ivory Coast announced on Tuesday that French troops will leave the country after a decadeslong military presence, marking the latest African nation to reduce its military ties with its former colonial power.
President Alassane Ouattara said the withdrawal of French forces will begin in January 2025. France currently has up to 600 troops stationed in Ivory Coast.
“We have decided on the concerted and organised withdrawal of French forces in Ivory Coast,” Ouattara declared. He added that the French-run military infantry battalion located in Port Bouët will be handed over to Ivorian troops as part of the transition.
Ouattara’s announcement comes in the wake of similar decisions made by other West African leaders, where France’s military presence is increasingly being scaled back.
Analysts have characterised these developments as part of a broader structural transformation in the region’s engagement with Paris, reflecting shifting geopolitical dynamics and growing public discontent with France’s involvement.
France has experienced similar challenges in other West African nations, including Chad, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where its troops have been expelled despite having operated there for many years.
More recently, nations such as Senegal and Chad—long considered among France’s most stable and loyal allies in the region—have also called for the withdrawal of French forces.
The reduction in military ties coincides with France’s efforts to rejuvenate its waning political and military influence in Africa by adopting a new strategy that involves significantly reducing its permanent troop deployments on the continent.
Since the end of its colonial rule, France has now been removed from over 70% of the African countries where it once maintained a military presence. As of now, its troops remain stationed only in Djibouti, with 1,500 soldiers, and in Gabon, with a contingent of 350 troops.
Analysts view these developments as part of a broader trend of structural changes in the region’s engagement with France, driven in large part by increasing local resentment towards its presence, particularly in nations affected by coups.
Following the expulsion of French forces, military leaders in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have forged closer ties with Russia, whose mercenaries are now deployed across the Sahel region. These Russian forces, however, have faced accusations of widespread abuses against civilians.
Despite these shifts, the security situation in these countries has deteriorated significantly. Armed groups have increased their attacks, and the number of civilian casualties has risen sharply. Both extremist factions and government forces have been implicated in the escalating violence, raising concerns over the long-term stability of the region.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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