French military withdrawal from West Africa (2022–2025)

Beginning in 2022, France began to withdraw military troops from several West African nations following decades of military presence and interventions. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad all unilaterally terminated their defense agreements, while the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, and Senegal requested their withdrawal. The withdrawal coincided with increasing opposition to French military intervention in the Islamist insurgency in the Sahel, as well as numerous military coups either with French support or with French participation, particularly in the "Coup Belt".

The withdrawal marked a fundamental shift in Franco-African relations, with several media outlets and geopolitical analysts stating that it represented the decline of Françafrique— France's sphere of military, economic, and geopolitical influence over its former colonies. The withdrawals also represented the shift of African interests away from security and development treaties with the western world, towards different parties such as China, India, the Gulf States, and especially Russia.

The defense agreements between France and French-speaking African countries established cooperation in defense and security matters and were often accompanied by secret clauses, allowing France to intervene militarily. Such interventions were often used to support, dispose,w or install governments with French interests; to fight jihadism—particularly in the Sahel—or to put an end to civil wars. The departure of French troops from much of the African continent has marred "Françafrique", if not marking its end.