THE French army has officially handed over its final military base in Chad, marking the conclusion of a long-standing military presence in the central African country. The transfer ceremony took place in the capital, N’Djamena, on Thursday, as reported by both the French and Chadian general staffs.
This move follows a decision by Chad to end its military cooperation with France in late November. By late December, French troops began withdrawing from Chad, and the final base handover at Kossei marked the end of France’s military footprint in the nation, in line with the wishes of Chadian authorities, according to a statement from the Chadian military leadership.
‘The Kossei camp was handed over today to the Chadian army,’ said Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesperson for the French armed forces in Paris, following the handover.
The French withdrawal, which started with the evacuation of the Faya-Largeau base in the north on December 26, continued with the exit from the Abeche base on January 11. In December, Chadian officials had made it clear that the French exit by January 31 was a non-negotiable deadline.
Political shift in Chad’s military cooperation with France
The shift in Chad’s stance marks a significant change in its foreign relations. President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, who has held power since 2021, stated that the military cooperation agreements with France were outdated and no longer suited the current political and geostrategic realities. Chad’s move reflects broader regional shifts, as several Sahelian countries pivot away from France and seek new military alliances, particularly with Russia.
For decades, France has maintained a military presence in Chad, providing training and support to the Chadian military since the country’s independence in 1960. French forces had a significant role in maintaining security, particularly in combating Islamist insurgencies in the region.
Chad’s role as a key part of France’s military network in the Sahel had become even more prominent after France’s forced withdrawal from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following military coups in these countries.
Declining French military presence in Africa
France’s military influence in the Sahel has been gradually diminishing. At its peak, France’s military contingent in the region exceeded 5,000 troops, primarily focused on counterterrorism operations under Operation Barkhane. However, this operation concluded in November 2022. More recently, Senegal has also initiated talks regarding the withdrawal of French troops by 2025, and French military presence in the Cote d’Ivoire and Gabon is being reduced as part of a strategic restructuring in West and Central Africa.
Despite these withdrawals, France is maintaining a base in Djibouti, where around 1,500 French troops are stationed. This base is seen as an important strategic hub for future military operations in the region.
In the wake of these changes, President Macron made headlines in early January by criticising African nations, stating they had ‘forgotten to say thank you’ for France’s long-standing military support in the region. This speech came amid rising tensions over France’s involvement in Africa.
As Chad takes steps to move away from France’s military assistance, it becomes part of a wider trend of shifting allegiances and evolving geopolitical dynamics in the Sahel and beyond.
The final handover of the Kossei base represents not just a symbolic end to France’s military presence in Chad but also underscores the broader changes reshaping France’s role in Africa.
