Ivory Coast tells French troops to leave

Ivory Coast’s decision reflects a growing push for independence from former colonial powers.

French troops will begin their withdrawal from Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) in January 2025, as announced by the Ivorian government. This marks another significant reduction in France’s military presence in West Africa.

In his end-of-year address on Tuesday, President Alassane Ouattara stated that the move reflects the modernization of Ivory Coast’s armed forces.

“We have decided on the concerted and organized withdrawal of French forces,” Ouattara said, adding that the Port Bouet military base will be transferred to Ivorian control in January 2025. France has maintained a military presence in Ivory Coast since its independence in 1960, with up to 600 troops stationed there.

Ivory Coast’s decision follows similar moves by other West African nations, which have also requested the departure of foreign troops amid a broader trend of reassessing military ties with former colonial powers.

In recent years, France has been expelled from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following military coups. Chad terminated its defense cooperation agreement with France in November, while Senegal, another former French colony, announced that all French military bases on its territory would close by the end of 2025.

France’s military presence in Africa has been controversial for decades. Critics argue that it perpetuates neocolonial dynamics, while supporters maintain that French troops play a crucial role in combating terrorism and maintaining stability. However, leaders in these nations contend that the presence of Western forces has not effectively addressed their security challenges, prompting them to seek alternative partnerships, including with Russia.

When Ivory Coast first announced the withdrawal in December, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the planned exit of French troops demonstrates they are “no longer needed” in the country. “This generally fits into the logic of the processes taking place in the Francophone countries of West Africa, whose populations are increasingly critical of the large-scale presence of foreign troops,” it added.

Paris is working to revamp its strategy on the continent, aiming to reduce permanent troop deployments and focus on more targeted operations, while retaining some 1,500 soldiers in Djibouti and a small contingent of around 350 troops in Gabon.

Image credit: Planet Volumes