"Where we had established historical bases in many countries, we wanted to rethink our presence by co-constructing a partnership and cooperation with many countries", asserted French President Emmanuel Macron at a meeting with his Djiboutian counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh. France was forced to evacuate its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2022 and 2023 after military juntas took power, and a first contingent of 120 French soldiers has also left Chad, which has made a similar request, as has Senegal. (COMPLETE VIDI36R29X9_EN et VIDI36R29YQ_EN) SOUNDBITE