The Mistral, France’s amphibious helicopter carrier, is docked in Dakar from 2 to 6 October 2026. But this is no routine port call. For five days, French and Senegalese forces will conduct joint land and sea operations and share expertise. The visit comes just over a year after French troops left their permanent bases in Senegal, offering a window into how the two militaries are recalibrating their relationship.
What the Mistral brings to Dakar
The Mistral is one of the French Navy’s flagship vessels. This amphibious ship can carry helicopters, troops and vehicles, and it is built for operations that combine land, air and maritime assets. Its stop at the port of Dakar falls under the framework of cooperation between the armed forces of both countries.
A packed five-day agenda on land and at sea
During its stay, French and Senegalese soldiers will take part in several operational activities and expertise-sharing sessions. A large part of the programme focuses on land tactics.
The drills 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 part of the land activities planned during the visit.
Naval exercise off Senegal’s coast
The maritime component also plays a key role. A naval exercise is planned to maintain the two navies’ shared capacity for coordination and intervention at sea. This kind of manoeuvre tests how well crews can operate together in a zone where coastal surveillance, the fight against trafficking and navigation safety remain major challenges.
Academic and institutional exchanges
The stop also has an academic dimension. The programme includes meetings and team-building activities with the Armed Forces Health Service, the Higher War School and the Staff College. Reciprocal visits to operational centres are also planned, allowing officers from both countries to discover how their counterparts work.
A cooperation model that outlasted the withdrawal
Since the handover of the last French military facilities to the Senegalese state in July 2025, France has no longer had a permanent base in the country. Military cooperation between the two nations continues, however, in the form of occasional activities like this one: joint exercises, training and expertise exchanges, carried out within a relationship that Senegalese authorities now want to be more balanced.
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