A French warship has docked at Ghana’s Tema port as Paris moves to reassert its presence in West Africa following a wave of military and diplomatic setbacks in the Sahel.
- A French naval ship, the Tonnerre, arrived at Ghana’s Tema port to initiate a joint maritime exercise with the Ghana Navy.
- The training included sessions on maritime rescue, anti-piracy operations, pollution control, and crisis management.
- This visit is part of France’s strategy to enhance security collaborations along the Gulf of Guinea following setbacks in the Sahel region.
- The initiative indicates France’s commitment to capacity-building in West Africa amidst growing geopolitical dynamics.
The French Navy’s Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, Tonnerre arrived at Ghana’s Port of Tema on September 30, 2025, to launch the four-day 2025 Regional Onboard and Digital Training Course (SIREN), a joint exercise with the Ghana Navy focused on maritime rescue, pollution control, anti-piracy operations, crisis management, and regional cooperation.
Commanded by Naval Captain Arnaud Bolelli, the visit comes as France works to strengthen security partnerships along the Gulf of Guinea after recent setbacks in the Sahel, signalling a strategic shift toward deeper engagement with coastal West African nations.
The 199-meter vessel, commanded by Naval Captain Arnaud Bolelli, drew attention from dockworkers and onlookers as it eased into port, a striking display of naval power and a signal of France’s ongoing commitment to regional security in West Africa.
The ship’s arrival was met with a formal reception from senior Ghanaian naval officials and French defence representatives, reinforcing a partnership that has endured through years of security collaboration.
Captain Bolelli, accompanied by French Defence Attaché Colonel Grégoire Madelin, paid a courtesy call on Commodore Solomon Asiedu-Larbi, Flag Officer Commanding Ghana’s Eastern Naval Command, to discuss the scope of the exercise and shared maritime priorities.
The visit comes as France navigates a shifting African landscape. Having withdrawn forces from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger now aligned as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Paris has shifted its strategy toward nations along the Gulf of Guinea, including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal.
The Tonnerre’s deployment highlights this recalibration: a move from direct intervention to cooperative training and regional capacity-building.
A New Contest for Africa’s Security Partnerships
Even as anti-French sentiment grows in some quarters, many African governments continue to depend on Western military partnerships to confront piracy, arms smuggling, and illegal fishing.
Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Hon. Emelia Arthur who formally welcomed the Tonnerre to Ghana’s shores, underscored the visit’s importance in advancing regional maritime governance.
“I am proud to reaffirm Ghana’s commitment to regional maritime security and sustainable fisheries management,” the minister said. “The Gulf of Guinea is a vital hub for trade, security, and biodiversity, but we face significant challenges. Illegal fishing, piracy, trafficking, and environmental degradation threaten the livelihoods of our people and regional stability.” she noted.
Ghana’s navy, though professional and increasingly well-trained, still faces logistical and equipment constraints in policing its 550-kilometre coastline. France’s technical assistance and maritime expertise remain valuable in closing those gaps.
At the same time, the race for influence in Africa’s security sphere is intensifying. The United States has increased its surveillance and counterterrorism cooperation, Russia continues to build military ties through private contractors, and China leverages its Djibouti base and naval diplomacy to project power.
For Ghana, such engagements are not merely symbolic, they reflect a pragmatic approach to security in an era of multipolar competition.
As the Tonnerre remains anchored off Tema, its presence underscores both the persistence of France’s African ambitions and the continent’s enduring need for external defence partnerships.
