In 2023, the presence of French military personnel in Senegal will experience significant changes. While for twelve years, nearly 500 French soldiers have been providing training and training to Senegalese officers and those from the 15 ECOWAS countries, military cooperation will evolve towards co-management between the French and Senegalese armies.
This new model of cooperation was recently illustrated during an intelligence training session bringing together 16 officers from Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Guinea-Conakry. These soldiers worked together to gather information and handle unexpected situations.
This international collaboration represents something new for some participants. The Beninese officer explains: “Today, we find ourselves in an international environment; this is no longer: each army works in its country, we are required to cooperate.” The presence of a Senegalese army officer during this training marks a turning point in cooperation, providing a better understanding of operational realities and facilitating communication between the different armies in the sub-region.
The military base of the French elements in Senegal in Dakar, location of this training session, also displays symbolic changes with the display of the French and Senegalese flags. This transformation reflects the desire of the French army to work in close collaboration with its Senegalese partner. Colonel Eric Talleu, chief of staff of the French elements in Senegal, underlines: “We are in the process of implementing the presidential decisions. The desire is to be more and more intertwined with the Senegalese partner, and the “one of the first incarnations of this overlap is this joint training center. This is indeed the future!”
This new model of cooperation will also have an impact on the presence of French soldiers in Senegal. By summer 2024, their number should be reduced by half, from 500 to around 260. However, the majority of these soldiers will remain on site as instructors in order to continue training in cooperation with the Senegalese army. .
This development in military cooperation between France and Senegal demonstrates a desire to pool efforts and strengthen the capacities of countries in the region. Through this spirit of collaboration, it is hoped that ECOWAS military forces will be better prepared to face the security challenges facing the region.