Senegal Asserts Sovereignty, Demands French Military Withdrawal
Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has called on France to close its military bases in the West African state, citing the need to assert Senegal’s sovereignty and independence.
This move comes as Senegal prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, a notorious colonial slaughter in which French troops killed at least 35 Senegalese soldiers in 1944.
Faye praised French President Emmanuel Macron for acknowledging France’s responsibility for the massacre, but emphasized that allowing French military bases in Senegal is incompatible with national sovereignty.
“Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country, and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” Faye said.
This decision is part of a broader trend in West and Central Africa, where several countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, have expelled French forces and sought alternative partners for security aid. France has also announced plans to reduce its military presence in Africa, with cuts to troop numbers in Senegal, Gabon, Chad, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Despite this move, Faye emphasized that France remains an important partner for Senegal in terms of investment and trade.
However, he also indicated that he may demand further reparations from France for the Thiaroye massacre. “To recognize that a massacre has been committed must obviously have the effect of making amends… we think that naturally this is what must follow,” Faye said.
