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ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) \u2014 Ivory Coast announced on Tuesday that French troops will leave the country after a decadeslong military presence, the latest African nation to downscale military ties<\/a> with its former colonial power.<\/p>\n Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara<\/a> said the pullout would begin in January 2025. France has had up to 600 troops in Ivory Coast.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have decided on the concerted and organized withdrawal of French forces in Ivory Coast,\u201d he said, adding that the military infantry battalion of Port Bou\u00e9t that is run by the French army will be handed over to Ivorian troops.<\/p>\n See for yourself \u2014 The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Outtara’s announcement follows that of other leaders across West Africa, where France\u2019s militaries are being asked to leave. Analysts have described the requests for French troops to leave Africa as part of the wider structural transformation in the region\u2019s engagement with Paris.<\/p>\n France has suffered similar setbacks in several West African countries in recent years, including Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso, where French troops that have been on the ground for many years have been kicked out.<\/p>\n Several West African nations \u2014 including coup-hit Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger \u2014 have recently asked the French to leave. Among them are also most recently Senegal, and Chad, considered France\u2019s most stable and loyal partner<\/a> in Africa.<\/p>\n The downscaling of military ties comes as France has been making efforts to revive its waning political and military influence on the continent by devising a new military strategy that would sharply reduce its permanent troop presence in Africa.<\/p>\n France has now been kicked out of more than 70% of African countries where it had a troop presence since ending its colonial rule. The French remain only in Djibouti, with 1,500 soldiers, and Gabon, with 350 troops.<\/p>\n Analysts have described the developments as part of the wider structural transformation in the region\u2019s engagement with Paris amid growing local sentiments against France, especially in coup-hit countries<\/a>.<\/p>\n After expelling French troops, military leaders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have moved closer to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed across the Sahel who have been accused of abuses against civilians.<\/a><\/p>\nTrusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox<\/h4>\n