Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara confirmed on Tuesday that French military forces would begin withdrawing from the country, marking a continuation of France’s pullback from its former West African colonies.
In a year-end address, Ouattara highlighted the progress of Ivory Coast’s own military, stating that Ivorians should take pride in their modernized armed forces. “In this context, we have decided on the coordinated and organised withdrawal of French forces,” he said.
Sources revealed to media in November that France was planning to cut its military presence across West and Central Africa, including in Ivory Coast, reducing troop numbers from 2,200 to 600.
Once a colonial power in the region, France has already removed its forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in the wake of military coups and growing anti-French sentiment. In November, Chad, an important ally in the fight against Islamic militants, ended its defense cooperation agreement with France.
