The French amphibious helicopter carrier Mistral is docked in Dakar from 2 to 6 October 2026. This is no courtesy call: over five days, French and Senegalese troops will carry out joint operational activities on land and at sea, alongside expertise-sharing sessions. The visit comes a little more than a year after French forces stationed in Senegal packed up and left.

A five-day port call that puts cooperation—and consequences—front and centre

The Mistral is one of the French Navy’s flagship vessels. This amphibious ship can carry helicopters, troops and vehicles, and it is designed for operations that combine land, air and naval assets. Its stop at the Port of Dakar falls within the framework of cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.

During the visit, French and Senegalese military personnel will take part in several operational activities and expertise-sharing workshops. A large part of the programme focuses on land tactics.

The exercises will not be confined to the capital. Units from both armies are set to make joint movements between Dakar and the Mont-Rolland training centre in the Thiès region. That site, used for troop training and instruction, will host some of the land-based activities planned during the stopover.

Naval drills off Senegal’s coast: what it means for maritime security

The maritime component also looms large. A naval exercise is planned to maintain the two navies’ shared capacity for coordination and intervention at sea. Manoeuvres of this kind test crews’ ability to work together in a zone where coastal surveillance, the fight against trafficking and navigational safety remain major challenges.

The port call also has an academic dimension. The programme includes meetings and team-building activities with the Armed Forces Health Service, the War College and the Staff College. Reciprocal visits to operational centres are also planned, giving officers from both countries a chance to see how their counterparts work.

As a reminder, since the handover of the last French military bases to the Senegalese state in July 2025, France no longer has a permanent base in the country. Military cooperation between the two countries nonetheless continues, in the form of one-off activities such as this one: joint exercises, training and expertise-sharing, conducted within a relationship that Senegalese authorities now want to be more balanced.