Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has announced that French troops will soon begin withdrawing from the West Africa nation.

Naija News reports that the President made this known during his New Year address.

In a nationwide broadcast, Ouattara said: “We have decided on a coordinated and organized withdrawal of French troops.”

The process, set to start in January, aligns with the president’s focus on modernizing Ivory Coast’s military.

He also revealed that the French naval infantry battalion’s base in Port Bouet will be handed over to Ivorian forces.

Currently, about 600 French soldiers are stationed in the country.

This move follows similar decisions in other West African nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which had previously called for French troop withdrawals.

France has historically maintained a military presence in the region post-colonial rule, primarily to combat Islamist extremism.

With the withdrawal from Ivory Coast, France’s remaining military bases in Africa will be located in Gabon and Djibouti.