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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.