The armed forces of Ivory Coast, Gabon and France have officially launched a joint military exercise aimed at countering so-called “hybrid threats” across the region, underscoring Paris’s close security ties with two of its longstanding African partners.
The exercise, known as Grand Exercise 2026 (GeX), comes as France reshapes its military presence in Africa following the withdrawal of its forces from several Sahel countries amid growing hostility from military-led governments.
Paris has increasingly shifted towards a partnership-based approach, responding to the security needs of host countries and relying on temporary military deployments rather than permanent bases.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Ivorian Army Chief of Staff General Lassina Doumbia said terrorist groups and criminal networks were exploiting vulnerabilities, particularly gaps in the continuity of security responses.
“Faced with these evolving cross-border threats, our readiness must give us the ability to anticipate and stay ahead,” Doumbia said.
General Valentin Seiler, commander of the French Command for Africa (CPA), said the partnership was built on key principles, including respect for each country’s sovereignty and interests, mutual trust and reciprocity.
The exercise highlights the continuing military cooperation between France and the two West African countries, despite broader changes in Paris’s security footprint across the continent.
In 2025, France handed over its military base at Port-Bouët, near Abidjan, to Ivory Coast in a move Doumbia described as having taken place “without any difficulties”.
Meanwhile, the French military facility in Libreville, Gabon, was transformed into a joint camp focused on military training, reflecting the shift towards a different model of defence cooperation.
