Fay added, in an interview with Agence France-Presse conducted at the presidential palace, “Senegal An independent state. It is a sovereign state, and sovereignty is not compatible with existence Foreign military bases In a sovereign state.
Fay, who took office in April after winning the elections, raising the banner of sovereignty and ending dependence on abroad, stressed that rejecting a French military presence in his country does not mean a “break” between Dakar and Paris.
He confirmed Senegalese President He received from his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, a letter in which Paris acknowledged its responsibility for a “massacre” committed by its colonial forces in Thiaroye, near Dakar, on December 1, 1944.
He said, “I received it today, Thursday, from the president Emmanuel Macron A letter in which he admits that it was a massacre, very clearly, without any ambiguity in terminology.” Fay welcomed this admission, considering it a “big step” on Macron’s part.
During the interview, Fei revealed that the message he confirmed Elysee Palace It was sent 3 days before the celebrations to which the new Senegalese authorities intend to give special importance.
Fay reiterated his desire to diversify his country’s partners, which seeks to develop itself and remain an interlocutor with the largest number of countries, at a time when countries in the past have separated. Sahel region About France suddenly turned towards Russia. Faye said, “France remains an important partner for Senegal in terms of the level of investments, the presence of French companies and even French citizens in Senegal.”
But 64 years after Senegal’s independence from France, Faye stressed that “the French authorities must think about establishing a partnership devoid of a military presence, but a rich partnership, a fruitful partnership, a distinctive and comprehensive partnership like the one that links us with many other countries.”
He said, “A military presence or absence of a military presence should not mean a rupture.”
He explained that his country has close relations with several countries, such as: China Turkey, the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and “all of these countries do not have any military base in Senegal.”
He added, “China today is our first trading partner in terms of the volume of investments and trade. Does China have a military presence in Senegal? No. Are we talking about a rupture?”
Faye spoke about an upcoming update to the military cooperation doctrine. He explained that this update “clearly means that there will be no military bases in Senegal for any country.”
France decided to reduce its military presence in Africa Pretty much.
