West Africa’s Season of Farewells and Question Marks

France’s major military base in Cote d’Ivoire, Port Bouet, is set to close, with French troops leaving and the base being renamed after an indigenous military figure. The departure of French forces has led to a shift in diplomatic and strategic dynamics in West Africa, including increased jihadist pressure and threats to regional economic integration. Nigeria faces challenges as the leading Western ally in the region, with the Gulf of Guinea corridor remaining of global importance and the threat of jihadist insurgency increasing along its northern borders.

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