DAKAR, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Saturday visited several military sites recently handed over by France, in what the Senegalese presidency described as "a major step" in the reconfiguration of bilateral military cooperation.

According to an official statement, Faye inspected the sites of Ouakam, Bel Air and the Naval base, all now fully under Senegalese sovereignty. The visit aimed to assess the condition of infrastructure related to accommodation, logistics and operations, and evaluate their potential for future use.

"The handover of these facilities, the result of bilateral dialogue based on mutual respect, opens a new era of strategic cooperation focused on training, interoperability and the strengthening of national capacities," the presidency said, adding that the move reflects Senegal's calm but firm assertion of full sovereignty over strategic military installations.

On Thursday, France formally transferred its last two military installations in Senegal to the Senegalese authorities, marking the end of its permanent military presence in the West African country. The installations included Camp Geille, the largest French military base in Senegal, and the French air detachment at Dakar International Airport. ■