France’s plan to drastically reduce its military presence in West and Central Africa may inadvertently erode its influence in a region where Russia is rapidly expanding its foothold. This week, a French envoy presented President Emmanuel Macron with a report recommending a reduction of troops in Chad, Gabon, and Ivory Coast, where French forces have been stationed for decades.
While specific details of the report remain confidential, sources indicate that France intends to cut its troop levels from approximately 2,200 to around 600. Chad is expected to retain the largest contingent, with 300 troops remaining down from 1,000. However, a surprising development occurred when Chad abruptly terminated its defense cooperation pact with France, raising the prospect of a complete withdrawal of French forces from the country, a key ally in combating regional Islamist threats.
Ulf Laessing, director of the Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, remarked, “For France, this marks the beginning of the end of their security engagement in Central and Western Africa.” He emphasized Chad’s strategic importance, describing it as the “aircraft carrier” for French military operations in the region.
In another setback for France, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated that the presence of French troops in his country, currently numbering 350, is no longer appropriate. This follows France’s recent troop withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger amid military coups and rising anti-French sentiment.
The proposed troop drawdown aims for remaining forces to focus on training, intelligence sharing, and responding to specific requests from regional partners. However, Chad’s decision to end the defense agreement took French officials by surprise. France, keen to maintain a presence in Chad due to ongoing humanitarian crises in neighboring Sudan, responded swiftly, stating its intention to continue dialogue with N’Djamena.
Sources familiar with the situation suggest that Chad interpreted France’s proposed troop reduction as a slight, raising concerns over the security of its military regime under President Mahamat Idriss Deby. Despite criticism, Macron has supported Deby since he took power following the death of his father, who ruled Chad for 30 years.
In a statement, Chad’s foreign ministry emphasized its desire to assert sovereignty after over six decades of independence from France, while asserting that this decision should not undermine the friendly relations between the two nations. Meanwhile, a small contingent of U.S. special forces recently departed Chad, signaling a reevaluation of U.S. cooperation in the region.
This French military withdrawal, coupled with a U.S. pullback, contrasts sharply with the rising influence of Russia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates in Africa. Russian mercenaries are bolstering the military regimes in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, and fighting against Islamist militants alongside them. However, some French officials downplayed the immediate implications of the French retreat, noting tensions between Russian interests and Chad’s rival factions in Sudan. Meanwhile, Russia remains preoccupied with significant military commitments in Syria and Ukraine.
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