Dakar, Jan 7 (APS) – Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko affirmed Monday evening that no discussion or negotiation with France had preceded Senegal’s decision to end the French military presence on its soil .
The head of government reacted in a message published on the social network X to statements made the same day by French President Emmanuel Macron during a meeting with French diplomats.
This meeting was organized while Chad, Senegal and Ivory Coast announced the closure of French military bases established in these three countries.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger had already sent French soldiers away.
”We proposed to African heads of state to reorganize our presence. As we are very polite we let them have priority in the announcement. Make no mistake, sometimes you had to push. It is not because we are polite, correct and that we reorganize ourselves that it should be turned against us by saying that we are driven out of Africa,” declared the head of the French state.
He added that in many of these countries, leaders did not want to remove the French army or reorganize it. ”We took it on together. This is partnership. We are in the process of opening a security partnership.
”I want to say that, in the case of Senegal, this statement is totally erroneous. No discussion or negotiation has taken place to date and the decision taken by Senegal stems from its sole will, as a free, independent and sovereign country,” responded the Senegalese Prime Minister.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced on December 31 Senegal’s decision to end all foreign military presence on Senegalese soil by 2025.
For its part, the Chadian government expressed in a press release its “deep concern” following the remarks of the President of the French Republic which reflect, according to the Chadian authorities, “a contemptuous attitude towards the Africa and Africans”.
AKS
Senegal
