ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Ivory Coast introduced on Tuesday that French troops will depart the nation after a decadeslong navy presence, the most recent African nation to downscale navy ties with its former colonial energy.
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara stated the pullout would start in January 2025. France has had as much as 600 troops in Ivory Coast.
“We have decided on the concerted and organized withdrawal of French forces in Ivory Coast,” he stated, including that the navy infantry battalion of Port Bouét that’s run by the French military shall be handed over to Ivorian troops.
Outtara’s announcement follows that of different leaders throughout West Africa, the place France’s militaries are being requested to depart. Analysts have described the requests for French troops to depart Africa as a part of the broader structural transformation within the area’s engagement with Paris.
France has suffered comparable setbacks in a number of West African international locations in recent times, together with Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, the place French troops which have been on the bottom for a few years have been kicked out.
A number of West African nations — together with coup-hit Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — have not too long ago requested the French to depart. Amongst them are additionally most not too long ago Senegal, and Chad, thought of France’s most secure and constant accomplice in Africa.
The downscaling of navy ties comes as France has been making efforts to revive its waning political and navy affect on the continent by devising a brand new navy technique that might sharply cut back its everlasting troop presence in Africa.
France has now been kicked out of greater than 70% of African international locations the place it had a troop presence since ending its colonial rule. The French stay solely in Djibouti, with 1,500 troopers, and Gabon, with 350 troops.
Analysts have described the developments as a part of the broader structural transformation within the area’s engagement with Paris amid rising native sentiments in opposition to France, particularly in coup-hit international locations.
After expelling French troops, navy leaders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have moved nearer to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed throughout the Sahel who’ve been accused of abuses in opposition to civilians.
Nonetheless, the safety state of affairs has worsened in these international locations, with rising numbers of extremist assaults and civilian deaths from each armed teams and authorities forces.