Ivory Coast has announced the planned withdrawal of French troops, as stated by President Alassane Ouattara in his New Year address.
Ouattara confirmed that a “coordinated and organised” exit would begin in January, with the French naval infantry battalion in Port Bouet being handed over to Ivorian forces as part of the process.
Currently, around 600 French soldiers are stationed in the country.
The decision comes amid growing calls from West African nations such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for France to pull its military presence from the region.
Despite the end of colonial rule, France had maintained military bases across West Africa, primarily to combat Islamist insurgencies.
With the withdrawal from Ivory Coast, French military bases in Africa will be limited to Gabon and Djibouti, marking the end of a longstanding military presence in the region.
The Ivorian government also emphasized its focus on strengthening and modernizing its own military forces.
