Chad's government announced on Thursday that it had canceled a military cooperation agreement with former colonial power France.
The decision, which surprised observers in both Chad and France, means about 1,000 French troops in Chad will have to leave.
The Chadian government has not set a date for the withdrawal of French troops, but said “We will respect the manner of termination, including the necessary deadlines, and cooperate with the French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition.”
Chad's Foreign Minister Abderrahmane Kouramallah: “This is not a break with France like Niger and other regions'' said in a statement posted on Facebook.
Kouramala said France remains an “indispensable partner”, but the French “should also take into account that Chad is a growing, maturing and sovereign state whose sovereignty we are very jealous of”.
November 28th marked 66th anniversary of the declaration of the Republic of Chad. The day it became an autonomous republic rather than a French colony. This day is celebrated as a national holiday.
The move is a strategic disaster for France, which will lose its last operational base in Africa's terrorist-infested Sahel region. French troops had previously been expelled from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
On the other hand, it could be an opportunity for Russia, which is seeking to expand its economic, diplomatic, and military presence in Africa. Chad's neighbors the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan, Libya and Niger are all currently hosting A mercenary unit of Russia's notorious Wagner Group. After its founder, it became a state-run militia. died,probably From a serious case of disagreement with President Vladimir Putin in August 2023.
President Mahamat Devi said: overture Analysts questioned whether he was planning a full-fledged move to Moscow or whether he was hoping to take on Russia and France in order to get better deals from both countries for Chad. I let her hold me.
french Le Monde on friday explained The abrogation of the Chad-France military agreement was “a bolt out of the blue” for the capitals of both countries and a “slap in the face for Paris.”
Le Monde He pointed out that there had been no public comment from anyone in the French government, including Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault. Foreign Minister Barrow had just arrived for a visit to Chad and seemed completely blindsided by the announcement. It is not clear whether French officials were consulted in any way regarding the decision to end the military agreement.
Chad's sudden announcement comes as a strong response to French President Emmanuel Macron's diplomatic attempts after Deby alarmed Paris with a surprise visit to Moscow in January for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It looked like a rebuke.
After the January meeting, President Macron sent a “personal envoy” to Chad, Jean-Marie Bockel. Mr Bockel did not miss the opportunity to express his admiration for Chad and its success as an independent republic. Deby is technically an unelected dictator who took power after the death of her father in 2021, even though there are no plans to end her “caretaker” government by 2026.
“We have to stay and of course we will stay,” Bockel said of France's military presence. On Monday, he submitted a report to Macron recommending a modest reduction in the number of troops sent to Chad, apparently unaware that the French were about to be forced out completely.
Ulf Lessing, Head of the Sahel Program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation: said The Associated Press reported Friday that Chad's President Deby does not like the French and particularly dislikes the current president.
“Deby has been trying to diversify security partnerships from exclusive deals. He doesn't trust Macron,” Lessing said. “He also cannot ignore widespread anti-French sentiment.”
France received more bad news on Thursday from Senegal's President Bashir Diomai Fay. said According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), it was “clear” that it was no longer appropriate for France to keep troops on its territory and that they would be required to leave immediately.
“Senegal is an independent and sovereign state, and the existence of military bases in a sovereign state is not recognized by its sovereignty.”
“Just because the French have been there since the days of slavery doesn't mean it's impossible otherwise,” Fay said ominously.
Chad and Niger both expelled U.S. forces in April 2024. Chad's actions came as an even bigger surprise to the hapless Biden administration than its actions against France. Chad ended its Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States by simply giving the Chad Air Force Chief of Staff a short handwritten memo to American defense officials.
