Ivory Coast has announced that French troops will withdraw from the West African country, further reducing the former colonial power's military influence in the region.
In a speech at the end of the year, the President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, said that this move was a reflection of the modernization of the country's armed forces.
Separately, Senegal, which announced last month that France would have to close its military bases on its territory, confirmed that the withdrawal would be completed by the end of 2025.
Ivory Coast is home to the largest contingent of French troops in West Africa.
There are around 600 French military personnel in the country with 350 in Senegal.
France, whose colonial rule in West Africa ended in the 1960s, has already withdrawn its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger after military coups in those countries and anti-French sentiment growing.
Chad's government – a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants in the region – abruptly ended the defense cooperation agreement with France in November.
Senegalese President Bassirou Dioumaye Faye said: “I have instructed the minister of the armed forces to propose a new doctrine for cooperation in defense and security, including, among other outcomes, the end of all presence foreign military in Senegal from 2025.
Faye was elected in March on a promise to deliver sovereignty and end dependence on foreign countries.
France will maintain a small presence in Gabon.
For more than three decades after its independence from France, Ivory Coast (also known by its French name, Côte d'Ivoire) was known for its religious and ethnic harmony, as well as its progressive economy.
The West African country was hailed as a model of stability. But an armed uprising in 2002 split the country in two. Peace alternates with renewed violence as the country moves slowly towards a political solution to the conflict.
Despite instability, Ivory Coast is the world's largest exporter of cocoa beans, and its citizens have a high level of income compared to other countries in the region.
