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SENEGAL’S LEADER SAYS FRANCE SHOULD CLOSE ALL ARMY BASES IN COUNTRY

Africa

Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Thursday said that France should
close all its army bases in the country, noting that it was “incompatible” with
Senegal’s national sovereignty. Faye swept to power in the March elections.

Issued on: 29/11/2024 - 08:31

2 min

By:
NEWS WIRES

01:49

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Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye poses for a portrait inside the
Presidential Palace in Dakar on November 28, 2024. © John Wessels, AFP

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told AFP Thursday that France should
close its military bases in the West African state as it prepared to mark the
80th anniversary of a notorious colonial slaughter.

Faye said that France’s President Emmanuel Macron had admitted that his
country’s troops were responsible for a “massacre” of Senegalese soldiers in
1944.

Faye hailed the acknowledgement but said that allowing French bases in the
country was incompatible with national sovereignty.

“Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty
does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” Faye
said in an interview at the presidential palace.

Faye swept to power in March’s elections promising to assert Senegal’s
sovereignty and an end to dependence on foreign powers.

He however maintained that the act did not constitute a break with France, like
those seen elsewhere in west Africa in recent years.

“Today, China is our largest trading partner in terms of investment and trade.
Does China have a military presence in Senegal? No. Does that mean our relations
are cut? No,” he said.


‘MAKING AMENDS’

Several other francophone countries in west and central Africa, including Mali,
Burkina Faso and Niger, have been taken over by military juntas that have
expelled French forces and turned to Russia for security aid instead.

Two French government sources told AFP this year that the country was looking to
cut its military presence in Africa—from 350 troops to 100 in Senegal and Gabon
and to 300 in Chad from 1,000 and 100 in Ivory Coast from 600.

“France remains an important partner for Senegal for the investment for Senegal
and the presence of French companies and even French citizens who are in
Senegal,” said Faye.

Senegal’s president said he had received a letter from Macron admitting French
culpability for a World War II-era massacre at Thiaroye on December 1, 1944.

The atrocity has long been a bone of contention between Paris and Dakar.

In November 1944, around 1,600 African soldiers who had fought for France and
been made prisoners of war by Germany, were sent back to Dakar, according to
French historian Armelle Mabon.

Soon after arriving at the Thiaroye camp, just outside Dakar, they protested
against pay delays, with some refusing to return to their home countries without
their dues.

French forces opened fire on the protesters, killing at least 35, though
historians say the toll could be much higher.

“I received today a letter from President Emmanuel Macron in which he
acknowledges that it was a massacre, very clearly, unambiguously on the terms,”
Faye said.

He praised “a great step” taken by the French leader, who Faye said apologised
for not being able to make the commemoration of the massacre’s 80th anniversary.

Faye said he was considering demanding an apology from France.

“To recognise that a massacre has been committed must obviously have the effect
of making amends.... we think that naturally this is what must follow. »

(AFP)

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