France has handed over control of a military base in Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, Abidjan, while retaining 80 military personnel for training. The move is part of a broader reduction of French forces in West and Central Africa.
French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that France would maintain a small military presence in Ivory Coast despite ceding control of the base. He reassured that France was "not disappearing," stating that the remaining troops would form a joint detachment, with their numbers reassessed based on training needs.
French troops have been stationed in Ivory Coast for decades, supporting President Alassane Ouattara’s rise to power in 2011 after post-election violence. However, Ouattara confirmed in December that French forces would withdraw.
The base handover comes amid a broader shift in France’s military strategy in Africa. In November, sources indicated that France was considering reducing its regional presence to 600 troops from around 2,200. The withdrawal follows the exit of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after military coups and growing anti-French sentiment.
France also began withdrawing from Chad in December after N'Djamena ended its defence cooperation pact, further reshaping France’s role in Africa’s security landscape
A Democratic candidate has won a special election for a Texas state senate seat by a double-digit margin, flipping the district from Republican contro...
The Trump administration has signalled it remains open to diplomatic engagement with Iran, even as the United States increases its military presence i...
Iran’s foreign minister says a return to nuclear diplomacy with the United States remains possible, provided mutual trust can be restored, warning t...
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed developments related to Iran and wider regional ten...
At least 32 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip late Friday and into Saturday, according to Palestinian s...
A Democratic candidate has won a special election for a Texas state senate seat by a double-digit margin, flipping the district from Republican control for the first time in decades and fuelling Democratic optimism ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Trump administration has signalled it remains open to diplomatic engagement with Iran, even as the United States increases its military presence in the Persian Gulf, according to a report by Axios.
Iran’s foreign minister says a return to nuclear diplomacy with the United States remains possible, provided mutual trust can be restored, warning that any military confrontation would trigger a wider regional conflict.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and French President Emmanuel Macron have discussed developments related to Iran and wider regional tensions during a phone call, Qatar’s Amiri Diwan said.
Newly released Epstein files name French President Emmanuel Macron among figures referenced in millions of disclosed documents.
The United Nations faces the risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions, including substantial arrears from the United States, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.
Vladimir Putin said Russia earned more than $15 billion from defence exports in 2025 and fulfilled all military-technical contracts despite what he described as growing pressure from Western countries.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may be able to reach a deal with Cuba, days after he threatened tariffs on any country supplying the island with oil.
Iran’s nuclear ambitions continue to shape regional tensions in the Middle East, particularly among key powers such as Israel and Türkiye, according to political analyst Dr Zaur Gasimov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a Russian drone strike on a bus carrying miners in the Dnipropetrovsk region has killed at least 12 people, as he confirmed that a new round of peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States is scheduled for next week in the UAE.
A five-year-old boy and his father have returned to their home in a Minneapolis suburb after being detained by U.S. immigration officers and held for weeks at a detention facility in Texas, according to a U.S. lawmaker.
Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said on Sunday that it carried out a targeted operation against the al-Qaeda-affiliated group al-Shabaab, killing 13 members, including five senior figures, in the Middle Shabelle region.
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.
A Democratic candidate has won a special election for a Texas state senate seat by a double-digit margin, flipping the district from Republican control for the first time in decades and fuelling Democratic optimism ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment