Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – As the last French troops exited Senegal on July 1, 2025, the French government was quietly mounting a charm offensive to salvage its waning influence in the West African nation, according to revelations by the investigative French weekly Le Canard Enchaîné.
In the final months leading up to the withdrawal, French diplomats in Dakar reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes efforts to reach out to those close to Senegal’s new power brokers, especially Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, described by the paper as “the real strongman” of the country.
The move comes amid a dramatic shift in Senegalese foreign policy. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, elected on a platform critical of France’s historic presence in the country, made good on his promise to expel the 250 to 300 French troops previously stationed in Senegal.
According to Le Canard Enchaîné, envoys from the Élysée focused their lobbying efforts on Sonko’s inner circle, attempting to persuade key figures to maintain “special ties” with France despite the clear political pivot away from its former colonial ruler.
The timing of this diplomatic outreach coincided with growing insecurity in the region. On the same day as the French troop departure, jihadist fighters from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) launched a major offensive in Mali, targeting the Diboly area near the Senegalese border. The incident underscored the mounting security threats in Senegal’s periphery.
However, the new Senegalese authorities appear more preoccupied with domestic economic woes than external security threats.
A French military official cited in the report noted that the government in Dakar was “focused on economic difficulties” and downplayed the urgency of the jihadist threat — a difference in strategic priorities that has complicated France’s efforts to remain relevant.
The stakes are high for Paris. More than a thousand French nationals reside in Senegal’s Kédougou region, bordering Mali, creating what Le Canard Enchaîné termed a “potential security nightmare” for France. Their safety may require some form of continued French presence, albeit under a new guise.
The situation poses a delicate balancing act for President Emmanuel Macron, who must navigate a redefined relationship with Senegal — one that respects Dakar’s sovereignty while safeguarding French interests. The contours of this new partnership, if any, remain uncertain.
