Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast President has announced the withdrawal of French troops from its country.
TheNewsGuru reports that the Ouattara made this known during his New Year nationwide broadcast where he said: “We have decided on a coordinated and organized withdrawal of French troops.”
He noted that the French naval infantry battalion which is situated at Port Bouet will also be handed over to Ivorian forces.
There are reportedly 600 French soldiers currently stationed in the country.
The withdrawal of french troops from the West African country which is set to start in January, aligns with the president’s focus on modernizing Ivory Coast’s military.
Before Ivory Coast, similar decisions have been taken in other West African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which had previously called for French troop withdrawals.
