Senegal’s new Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, criticized the French military presence in Senegal at a joint event with far-left French politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon in Dakar, the Senegalese capital.
France still has around 350 soldiers in Senegal.
“I wish to reaffirm Senegal’s desire for self-determination, which is incompatible with the long-term presence of foreign military bases in the country,” said Sonko, who is known for his tense relations with the former colonial power.
Ousmane Sonko insists on national sovereignty: “More than 60 years after our independence, we must ask ourselves why the French army, for example, still benefits from several military bases in our country, and how this presence affects our national sovereignty and strategic independence”.
The Prime Minister also added that the desire to eliminate the presence of French and other foreign troops does not call into question the defense treaties Senegal has signed with these countries.
With its new president, Senegal is seeking to move away from the French neo-colonialism that lasted during the term of former president Macky Sall and affected the country’s development at all levels.
In recent years, France’s presence in Africa has often been criticized by African peoples and leaders for the inability of French military forces to respond to the demands of the continent’s countries to re-establish security and stability in the region.
The decision by neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to end the presence of French troops on their soil and establish a new regional force, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), to provide collective protection, is a good example of a West African country seeking to regain its military and economic freedom.
Senegal is a pillar of stability in a region that has seen several coups d’état in recent years. It has great potential to become the main ally of many African countries, thanks to its excellent geographical location, its many riches and a new president full of ambitions to lead his country towards independence and development.
