Senegal denies consultation with Paris on French military withdrawal | APAnews

Ousmane Sonko firmly denied on Monday the assertions of French President Emmanuel Macron about an alleged consultation concerning the French military withdrawal from Senegal. This new diplomatic tension comes in a context of redefinition of relations between France and its former African colonies.

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Monday strongly contested French President Emmanuel Macron’s statements regarding the withdrawal of French forces from Senegalese territory, calling his assertions ” totally wrong ».

This reaction follows the words of the French head of state who had affirmed that the departure of French military bases from Africa had been the subject of prior negotiations, adding that France had granted “ for simple convenience and politeness » the first announcements to the African countries concerned.

« No discussions or negotiations have taken place to date », categorically denied the Senegalese Prime Minister on his social networks, stressing that “ the decision taken by Senegal stems from its sole will, as a free, independent and sovereign country ».

Sonko also reacted to Macron’s remarks made on Monday during the Conference of Ambassadors in Paris and according to which “ no African country would be sovereign today if France had not deployed “. The head of the Senegalese government refuted this assertion, saying that “ France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to ensure Africa’s security and sovereignty ».

In his message posted on his social networks visited by APA, the Senegalese Prime Minister particularly pointed out the role of France in the destabilization of Libya, evoking the “ disastrous consequences noted on the stability and security of the Sahel ».

Referring to history, Sonko recalled the decisive contribution of African soldiers during the Second World War, stressing that they had been “ sometimes forcibly mobilized, mistreated and ultimately betrayed “. He concluded by stating that without their commitment, “ France would, perhaps still today, be German ».

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