France has officially handed over the 43rd Marine Infantry Battalion (43rd BIMA) military base, to Ivorian authorities, marking a significant shift in military cooperation between the two nations.
The handover ceremony took place in Abidjan on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in the presence of French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu, Ivorian Minister of Defense Téné Birahima Ouattara, senior government officials, military officers, and traditional leaders.
The event was held at the Place d’Armes, named after the late General Thomas D’Aquin Ouattara, Côte d’Ivoire’s first Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.
This transition comes as part of broader regional realignments in France’s military strategy in the subregion, following similar troop withdrawals from Mali and Burkina Faso.
Ivorian authorities view the handover as a step toward greater national defense autonomy, while both nations have reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing security cooperation.
