France has officially handed over its last military base in Chad, marking the end of its defense presence in the country two months after Chad terminated its defense agreement with Paris.
The Kossei base in N’Djamena was transferred to Chadian control in a move that French officials described as part of a broader shift in military strategy across Africa. While Chad initiated the end of the defense pact, the head of the French Armed Forces’ Africa Command said the withdrawal was also a French decision.
“The transfer of the Kossei base today marks a new stage. It is part of the French decision to end permanent military bases in Central and West Africa,” said Pascal Ianni, head of the French Armed Forces’ Africa Command. “This structural change is necessary to adapt to the evolution of the world and Africa. We must act differently.”
The withdrawal follows France’s earlier handovers of two other military bases in Chad. Chadian Army Chief of Staff Abakar Abdelkerim Daoud welcomed the move, stating that Chad’s forces are now fully capable of assuming security responsibilities previously handled by French troops.
“I announce today that the work of the French army is coming to an end, and the Chadian army is capable of taking over the role that the French army played in Chad,” Daoud said.
Prior to the agreement’s termination, France had around 1,000 military personnel stationed in Chad. The withdrawal follows similar moves in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where French forces had been engaged in counterterrorism operations before being expelled.