Senegal president says France should close army bases in country

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00:00When elected president in March, Basirou Dioumaye Fay promised to restore Senegal's sovereignty.

00:07As part of that, Fay told France, too, on Thursday that France will have to close its

00:12military bases in Senegal.

00:16As French people, could you imagine seeing us in your country with tanks or military

00:21vehicles, with Senegalese soldiers in Senegalese uniforms?

00:25That's what history has been like.

00:27France has enslaved, colonized, and remained.

00:33The announcement comes just days after a special envoy to Africa, Jean-Marie Boeckel, submitted

00:38a report on the reconfiguration of France's military presence on the continent.

00:44France planned to reduce its military presence in Africa, but not eliminate it, with soldiers

00:49in Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Gabon and Chad.

00:53Nonetheless, Fay said he is not seeking to break all ties with France.

00:59Fay also welcomed Macron's overture regarding the recognition of the killing of Senegalese

01:04riflemen by French soldiers eight decades ago.

01:11Today I received a letter from President Macron in which he acknowledges that it was indeed

01:16a massacre.

01:18This step of acknowledging the massacre should open the door to perfect collaboration in

01:21revealing the whole truth.

01:27In 1944, Senegalese riflemen who had fought to liberate France in World War II mutinied

01:33over poor conditions and lack of payment.

01:36French soldiers opened fire, killing dozens.

01:40A commemoration ceremony is scheduled for Sunday in Senegal.

01:44Macron has apologized for being unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict.

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