The French amphibious helicopter carrier Mistral is docked in Dakar from 2 to 6 October 2026. This is no courtesy call: for five days, French and Senegalese military personnel will conduct joint operational activities on land and at sea, along with expertise exchanges. The stopover comes just over a year after French forces stationed in Senegal withdrew.
A five-day stopover focused on cooperation
The Mistral is one of the flagship vessels of the French Navy. This amphibious ship can carry helicopters, troops and vehicles, and is designed for operations combining land, air and sea assets. Its port call in Dakar falls under cooperation activities between the armed forces of both countries.
During its stay, French and Senegalese troops will take part in several operational activities and expertise-sharing sessions. A large part of the programme focuses on land tactics.
The exercises will not be limited to the capital. Units from both armies are set to conduct joint movements between Dakar and the Mont-Rolland training centre in the Thiès region. This site, used for troop training, will host part of the land activities planned during the stopover.
A naval drill off Senegal’s coast
The maritime component also plays a major role. A naval exercise is planned to maintain the two navies’ joint coordination and intervention capabilities at sea. Such manoeuvres test crews’ ability to operate together in a zone where coastal surveillance, the fight against trafficking and navigation safety remain key issues.
The stopover also includes an academic dimension. The programme features meetings and team-building activities with the Armed Forces Health Service, the Higher War School and the Staff School. Reciprocal visits to operational centres are also planned, allowing officers from both countries to discover their counterparts’ working methods.
Since the handover of the last French military facilities to the Senegalese state in July 2025, France no longer has a permanent base in the country. Military cooperation between the two nations continues, however, through occasional activities such as this one: joint exercises, training and expertise exchanges, conducted within a relationship that Senegalese authorities now want to be more balanced.
