French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France no longer intends to establish or maintain permanent military bases in various regions of the world, including Africa.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the French leader made these remarks during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi.
According to Macron, Paris will henceforth focus its efforts on training local armies and strengthening their military potential, intervening only when absolutely necessary. He noted that maintaining large military bases is increasingly perceived as a "neocolonialist approach" in several regions, prompting a fundamental shift in the existing strategy. The President stated that France is currently preparing the armies of certain states, equipping them, and providing assistance to bolster their defense structures.
Macron added that France has re-evaluated its military presence and withdrawn troops following political shifts in Sahel region countries, specifically Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. He described this move not as a forced exit, but as a "logical decision in line with the current situation." The summit in Nairobi also serves as a platform for discussing global issues such as artificial intelligence, food security, healthcare, climate change, and international financial reforms.
This strategic pivot comes at a time when French influence in Africa faces significant challenges and rising anti-French sentiment in former colonies. Over the past decade, France has maintained a heavy military footprint in the Sahel through Operation Barkhane, aimed at combating extremist groups. However, recent coups and the subsequent demand for French troop withdrawals have forced Paris to rethink its security architecture on the continent, moving toward a model of "co-partnership" rather than direct military oversight.
