The United States and France have initiated significant withdrawals from South Sudan and Senegal, respectively, signaling evolving geopolitical priorities and local pressures for sovereignty. These developments are part of a broader trend of African nations reevaluating their relationships with Western powers.
The U.S. State Department announced on Saturday the ordered departure of non-emergency government personnel from South Sudan, citing heightened security concerns following weeks of heavy clashes in the northern town of Nasir.
The violence, which erupted on February 14 between South Sudanese forces and the White Army militia, has claimed numerous lives, including a South Sudan People’s Defense Forces general killed during a UN helicopter evacuation attempt on Friday. The State Department’s travel advisory highlighted ongoing armed conflict, political instability, and violent crime, imposing a strict curfew on remaining American staff.
South Sudan, Africa’s youngest nation since its independence in 2011, has struggled with volatility despite a 2018 peace deal between President Salva Kiir Mayardit and First Vice President Riek Machar, a fragile truce now threatened by renewed tensions.
Meanwhile, in Senegal, the French military has begun withdrawing from three of its five bases—Mareschal, St. Exupery, and Contre Amiral Prote, marking the start of a complete exit scheduled to conclude by September 2025.
”France has handed over its only army base in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the West African nation’s authorities, weeks after Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara announced the withdrawal of French troops amid a regional trend of former colonies severing defense ties with Paris.” – Nigeria Sun
The move follows a directive from Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who, since taking office less than a year ago, has insisted that the presence of French troops is “incompatible” with national sovereignty. Approximately 200 French soldiers and their families remain stationed in Ouakam and Rufisque, but the handover of bases to the Senegalese army reflects Dakar’s firm stance on reclaiming control.
”French President Macron ordered the ambassador in Niger and all embassy staff to leave the country and return to France. He also said that France will end its military presence in Niger by the end of 2023.” – NewsVoice
This departure comes amid a wave of anti-French sentiment across West and Central Africa, with Senegal joining Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Ivory Coast in expelling French forces in recent years.
The pullbacks highlight a complex interplay of local agency and foreign influence. Tatyana Dovgalenko, a Russian official, commented on March 6, 2025, that “Africa is not a battleground for global power struggles,” emphasizing Moscow’s stance of respecting African sovereignty and advocating for equitable partnerships.
Her remarks, made in the context of Russia’s growing ties with African nations, contrast with the historical military footprints of the U.S. and France, suggesting a critique of Western interventions as proxies for broader geopolitical rivalries.
In South Sudan, the U.S. withdrawal follows a pattern of retrenchment amid rising threats, with American influence waning as local conflicts persist unresolved.
Meanwhile, Senegal’s rejection of French troops aligns with President Faye’s broader agenda to dismantle colonial legacies, a sentiment echoed by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who has questioned France’s legitimacy in ensuring African security.
As both nations assert greater autonomy, the departures raise questions about the future of Western military engagement in Africa—and whether other powers, like Russia or China, will fill the vacuum.
Sources
- BBC: US orders non-emergency staff to leave South Sudan as tensions rise
- Nigeria Sun: France leaves another military base in Africa
- Liberty Beacon: French army begins departure from Senegal
- RT: US orders staff to leave African state
- RT: Africa not a battleground for global power struggles – Moscow
- NewsVoice: Macron Fails – French Ambassador and Troops to be Withdrawn from Niger