Ahmad 
The new Senegalese President, Bassirou Faye, called for the issue of the French military presence in Senegal to be discussed “calmly” and “without a sudden break,” stressing the need to get rid of French hegemony in a smooth manner.
This came in a press statement he made on Saturday, where he indicated that this issue would be discussed through the usual diplomatic methods between countries.
Faye raised this issue within the framework of the agenda of the Senegalese presidential elections, as Senegal’s relationship with France and the fate of French military bases were crucial issues.
For his part, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko wondered about the justifications for the French army continuing to use military bases in Senegal and the impact of this on national sovereignty.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his country’s intention to reduce its military presence in West and Central Africa, including Senegal, to a few hundred soldiers.
France has already begun to reduce its military presence in the capital, Dakar, as it intends to maintain only about 100 soldiers, compared to the current number of 350 soldiers.
Faye touched on the challenges facing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the organization.
He expressed his readiness to play the role of mediator to bring these countries back to the negotiating table, acknowledging the difficulty of the task but stressing that his position as a party not involved in imposing sanctions may facilitate communication.
On the internal level, Faye, who pledged to separate from the policies of the old regime, confirmed his intention to reconsider the contracts that were poorly negotiated by the previous regime, indicating that he will take the necessary legal measures in the event that any embezzlement is discovered during the ongoing audits in various sectors. .
Since assuming the presidency in March, after winning the elections and leaving prison, Faye has reduced the prices of basic goods and begun implementing multiple reforms, including reforms in the judiciary. He has also made official visits to several countries, including France, and participated in the ECOWAS summit for the first time this past week .
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