French soldiers who have been stationed in Ivory Coast for decades will soon leave, Ivory Coast officials said, highlighting a diplomatic crisis for France amid the same anger that has led its West and Central African allies to cut ties with Paris.
President Alassane Ouattara to announce Tuesday put Ivory Coast on a growing list of African countries cutting military ties with former colonial powers, while some of France's former allies are also turning to Russia's military to help them fight the region's armed forces.
Within a few days of each other in November, Chad and Senegal expelled French troops, joining several Sahel countries that have done the same, starting in 2021.
The upheaval has forced France to develop a new military strategy on the continent that officials say is in line with the “needs” of its allies. Temporary deployment, instead of a permanent military presence, and a focus on training local armed forces, are some of the new policies.
Here's what you need to know about why Ivory Coast has joined the list and how France's influence in the region is waning:
Why is Ivory Coast expelling French soldiers?
In his final 2024 address to the nation on December 31, President Ouattara said the government of the Ivory Coast decided to expel the French army because the army of the Ivory Coast “is working now”. The president did not give any other reasons.
“We can be proud of our army, whose modernization is effective. That is why we have decided to withdraw the French forces in a coordinated and systematic manner,” said Ouattara.
The 43rd Marine Infantry Battalion (BIMA), a French military unit based in Port-Bouet in the financial capital, Abidjan, will “be handed over” to the Ivorian army from January 2025, he added. The French military has been supporting the Ivorian army in the fight against armed groups operating in the Sahel and spreading to the countries of the Gulf of Guinea, including Ivory Coast and Ghana. France also served as part of the United Nations peacekeeping mission during the long civil war from 2002 to 2011.
Ouattara's announcement on Tuesday was unexpected. The president is seen by many as one of the African leaders closest to France. In a country where resentment against France is growing, that idea has sparked outrage at the government. In August, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Ouattara at a private dinner at the Elysee.
Analysts say Ouattara's decision to end the military alliance may be political, as the Ivorian prepares for elections expected in October. Ouattara, who has been in power since 2010, has yet to say whether he will seek a fourth term in the election. His decision to run for president in 2020 following the sudden death of his successor and prime minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, has angered the opposition camps.
Why is France facing so many problems in Francophone Africa?
France has faced unprecedented, bitter criticism from citizens in the former West and Central African countries in recent years. From Mali to the Ivory Coast, thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest, demanding that their governments cut ties with Paris.
Some of the resentment stemmed from old colonial disputes. Direct French rule during the colonial period was seen to have weakened traditional institutions, culture, and leadership while imposing European authority and traditions on local people. The French officials who ruled these territories were considered very tyrannical, both in their administration and in their efforts to improve the French economy.
After the countries gained their independence in the 1960s, Paris developed strong ties with African leaders and elites, known as “Francafrique” to protect France's major economic interests and maintain French military forces. More than 200 French companies operate on the continent, including oil and gas giant Total, and Orano, which mines uranium to generate electricity in France. The French military will also operate throughout the region, providing training and support to local forces.
However, in the past five years, military-led governments in the Sahel region have retreated to the weakness of the French military. Despite the presence of thousands of French soldiers, the army continued to turn the area into a hotbed of violence as groups like Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) to fight against security forces and officials in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Increasingly, armed groups have invaded the coasts of Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Benin.
Which countries expelled French soldiers and why?
By January 2025, six African countries – Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast – had severed military ties with France.
Cost: In August 2020, a group of Malian soldiers overthrew and seized power from the civilian government in Bamako, saying it was unable to stop the escalating violence. After France denounced the coup, the military government played a populist myth and accused France of meddling in the country's elections. Hundreds of people took to the streets, praising the soldiers and calling for France to leave. Rebellion he launched several raids in Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea and Gabon.
In June 2021, Macron announced that French troops would withdraw from the Sahel. By December 2023, the exit was completed. Mali has strengthened relations with Russia, and Russian troops are active in the region. Conflicts continue – more than 5,000 people have died in the Sahel region in the first half of 2024, and millions remain homeless, according to the conflict tracker, ACLED.
Burkina Faso: The current military government seized power in January 2022 amid anger at the government's perceived inability to deal with armed groups, and the French government is believed to be supporting it. In February 2023, the military government ordered French troops to leave Burkinabe within a month. About 300 Russian troops are expected to arrive in the country in January 2024.
Niger: After civilian governments fell in neighboring countries, the military there also staged a coup in July 2023, toppling and arresting President Mohamed Bazoum. Many Nigeriens protested in favor of the military and asked for the French soldiers who were in Niamey to leave. In December 2023, the military government expelled the French military.
Senegal: In November 2024, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye he said that France “must” close its armed forces from 2025 because the presence of French troops was not compatible with the Senegalese regime. The announcement comes as Senegal celebrates 80 years since the colonial massacre in which French soldiers killed dozens of West African soldiers who were outraged at what they had done while fighting in Paris during World War II. There are 350 French soldiers in the country.
Chad: Officials, also in November, announced that Chad is end military alliance with France since the 1960s. The country was the main nexus of the French military presence in Africa and its last base in the Sahel region. Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah called France “an important partner” but said “now it must also consider that Chad has grown, developed and is an independent country that is very jealous of its sovereignty”. There are 1,000 French soldiers in the country.
Does France still have an army in Africa?
Yes, France has a large military base in Djibouti, in East Africa. The country, which was also a French colony, has about 1,500 French soldiers and is one of France's largest foreign forces.
In West and Central Africa, France continues to have a small presence in Gabon with about 300 troops. The Gabonese army seized power in August 2023, ending five years of rule by the Bongo family.
However, unlike other military-led countries in the region, Paris has maintained close ties with Gabon's military government, perhaps because of resentment of the ruling family, some experts say.