France is planning to reduce its military presence in West and Central Africa to around 600 troops in line with President Emmanuel Macron's plans to limit the French military footprint in the region, three sources told AFP. According to a plan currently under discussion with African partners, France is planning to drastically reduce its so-called "pre-positioned" forces in Africa. Paris plans to keep around 100 troops in Ivory Coast on the southern coast of West Africa – down from 600 troops today – and around 300 personnel in Chad in north-central Africa, down from 1,000 now. Until two years ago, in addition to around 1,600 forces pre-deployed in West Africa and Gabon, France had over 5,000 troops in the Sahel region of Africa as part of the Barkhane anti-jihadist operation. In February, Macron tasked former minister Jean-Marie Bockel with working out the new modalities of the French military presence with African partners.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 17, 2024 15:12 UTC