France ends permanent troop presence in Senegal

By Anait Miridzhanian and Ngouda Dione

DAKAR (Reuters) -France handed over control of its last major military facility in Senegal on Thursday, marking the end of its armed forces' long presence in the West African country and a milestone in a withdrawal from the wider region.

The commander of French forces in Africa, General Pascal Ianni, handed over a key to the military camp in Dakar during a ceremony at which a Senegalese flag was raised while military musicians played the national anthem.

"Today's transfer of Camp Geille marks a new stage in the evolution of the partnership between our two armed forces," Ianni told reporters. "It is a response to the Senegalese authorities' wish to no longer have permanent foreign forces present on their territory."

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced last year that France's military bases were incompatible with Senegalese sovereignty and would have to be transferred.

The two countries agreed to complete that process by the end of the year and it began in March when France handed over two other facilities, also in Dakar.

The process has been more amicable than the departure of French soldiers from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where military juntas have pushed out French troops and turned to Russia for help fighting jihadist insurgencies.

Chad, an important Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region, abruptly ended its defence cooperation pact with France last year, forcing its troops to withdraw.

With a reduced presence in West and Central Africa, France has said it is planning to focus on training, intelligence sharing and responding to requests from countries for assistance.

TRAINING TO CONTINUE

Ianni said French forces' presence in Senegal dated back more than two centuries, but that a change was needed to reinvent the partnership.

General Mbaye Cisse, head of the Senegalese armed forces general staff, said the new agreement would allow Senegal to continue benefiting from training and information exchanges.

"We wish all our comrades and their families a safe return to France," he said, adding that he hoped the long history linking the countries would provide a strong base for cooperation.

Former colonial ruler France has faced criticism for stationing soldiers in Senegal long after it gained independence in 1960.

Senegal has long demanded that Paris properly investigate a massacre in 1944 of African soldiers who fought for France in World War Two.

(Reporting by Anait Miridzhanian and Ngouda Dione, Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Timothy Heritage)