About the Next ‘New French Strategy in Africa’

The news about the French withdrawal from Côte d’Ivoire is part of a broader plan to pull out troops from underutilized areas, which has been implemented over the past two years. To discuss further actions, a Defense Council was recently convened at the Élysée Palace. In addition to the Ivorian Port-Bouët, the Camp de Gaulle in Gabon and the Ouakam base in Senegal will soon be vacated. The French are likely to remain only as instructors at joint military facilities. At the highest level, the focus will be on joint exercises along the American model. This is already being implemented:…