The recently announced reduction of the French military presence in Senegal, along with the withdrawal of troops from Niger, "will undoubtedly be a turning point in French policy in Africa," Senegalese political analyst and director of the magazine Le Panafricain Abdou Karim Diakhate, told Sputnik Africa.
"France's presence and influence will be severely affected," he stressed.
According to Abdou Karim Diakhate, mutual defense pacts between Sahelian countries could be an effective response to the threat of terrorism, maritime piracy, and multifaceted human trafficking.
"The creation of the Alliance of Sahel States by Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso [the agreement was signed in September] could be the beginning of a solution. However, the struggle ahead will require the pooling of forces from all countries in the sub-region and substantial support from the international community," the expert said.
These new structures will require the backing of continental and regional organizations such as the African Union and ECOWAS, the analyst believes.
"It is clear that if the problems persist, if the security threats are not fully addressed, other countries, such as those in the Gulf of Guinea, may be inclined to break away from what appears to be a certain French stranglehold on their development," Karim Diakhate concluded.
In early October, the French General Staff announced that French troops had begun leaving Niger. The decision to withdraw the French military contingent from the African country was announced by President Emmanuel Macron in late September, nearly two months after rebels demanded that the French military leave the country.