Ivory Coast has announced the withdrawal of French troops, marking the end of a decades-long military presence in the country. The country's President Alassane Ouattara confirmed on Tuesday that the process will begin this January with the Port Bouët military base handed over to Ivorian forces.  France has faced military expulsions across 70 percent of African countries where it once maintained a presence. Recent withdrawals include Senegal and Chad, France, whose colonial rule in West Africa ended in the 1960s, has already pulled its soldiers out of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups in those countries and growing anti-French sentiment. Peter Ndoro spoke to Eastern and Western African and Sahel region political expert Alex Kiarie in Nairobi, Kenya

<p>Ivory Coast has announced the withdrawal of French troops, marking the end of a decades-long military presence in the country. The country's President Alassane Ouattara confirmed on Tuesday that the process will begin this January with the Port Bou&euml;t military base handed over to Ivorian forces. &nbsp;France has faced military expulsions across 70 percent of African countries where it once maintained a presence. Recent withdrawals include Senegal and Chad, France, whose colonial rule in West Africa ended in the 1960s, has already pulled its soldiers out of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups in those countries and growing anti-French sentiment. Peter Ndoro spoke to Eastern and Western African and Sahel region political expert Alex Kiarie in Nairobi, Kenya</p>

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