IVORY COAST: France to pull out troops February 20

France will hand back to Ivory Coast its only military base in the West African country in a ceremony on February 20, sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Thursday. Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced the planned withdrawal in December, making it the latest country in the region to weaken military ties […]

France will hand back to Ivory Coast its only military base in the West African country in a ceremony on February 20, sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Thursday.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced the planned withdrawal in December, making it the latest country in the region to weaken military ties with the former colonial power.

“The scheduled date is February 20. Ivory Coast is ready,” said a source in Ivory Coast, with sources on the French side confirming the date.

French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu is expected to attend the official ceremony with his Ivorian counterpart Tene Birahima Ouattara.

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France has spent years preparing a “reorganisation” of military relations after the forced departure of its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where military-led governments hostile to the ex-colonial ruler have seized power in recent years.

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