Macron stresses Djibouti base as France loses Africa footholds
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Macron claims that France's Indo-Pacific policy "could not work without the French forces in Djibouti."
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French soldiers during training in the desert of Ali Sabieh, Djibouti, in January 2021 (AFP)
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized Saturday the significance of France's military base in Djibouti, as the country's strategic presence in Africa declines.
Macron paid a quick visit to the Horn of Africa state to speak with President Ismail Omar Guelleh and inspect French troops before the end-of-year holidays.
Several African nations have lately terminated military agreements with France and demanded the withdrawal of troops.
Macron claimed during his meetings with Guelleh that the French presence in Djibouti was critical to the security of the Indo-Pacific trade corridors between Europe and Asia, alleging that the presence in Djibouti is "of course also oriented towards the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific."
He went on to say that France's Indo-Pacific policy "could not work without the French forces in Djibouti." He divulged to French troops that the base could become more significant and possibly "reinvented" as a launch pad for African missions.
In his most recent statements, Macron noted that France had "historic established bases" and was looking to "rethink that model."
However, he claimed that Djibouti was not included in these plans because the nature of the Djibouti base was "profoundly different".
Djibouti looks out onto a vast area of the Indian Ocean, which includes India and China, as well as sea routes that account for a significant portion of global trade.
On December 10, the French military confirmed the departure of two Mirage 2000D fighter jets from Chad, following the country's demand for the withdrawal of French forces. The third fighter jet is expected to return to France in the coming days.
On November 28, the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the end of defense cooperation with France. In an interview with Le Monde, Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah stated that France should withdraw its military forces from Chad.
According to the Jeune Afrique news magazine, citing sources, the termination of the agreement was due to differing positions on the civil conflict in Sudan. Additionally, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated that the presence of French military bases in Senegal was incompatible with the country’s sovereignty and called for their removal.
The French military, which was deployed in Africa's Sahel region since 2014 as part of the "anti-terrorism Operation Barkhane," was forced to leave Mali. In November 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of Operation Barkhane. A year later, France withdrew its troops from Burkina Faso and Niger at the request of the countries' authorities.
