Chad Ends 60 Years of Military Cooperation with France, Shifts Focus to Sovereignty
Chad has decided to end its defense cooperation agreement with France, aiming to regain greater control over its sovereignty.
The move is a shift for the Central African nation, which gained independence from France more than 60 years ago.
The announcement, made by Chad’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah, comes at a time when Chad is seeking to redefine its strategic partnerships in line with national priorities. “This decision will enable us to better align our defense policies with our vision for the future,” Koulamallah said in a statement.
Chad was one of the last countries in the region to maintain a large French military presence, alongside Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. These countries recently ousted French troops, opting for closer ties with Russia, which has a growing presence in the Sahel region through mercenaries.
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The end of the defense agreement, however, does not sever Chad’s historical ties with France. The government emphasised that it intends to maintain strong relations in other areas of common interest.
Despite this, analysts believe the move reflects the growing distrust between Chad’s interim president Mahamat Deby Itno and French President Emmanuel Macron. “Deby has long sought to diversify Chad’s security partnerships away from France,” said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. “Anti-French sentiment is strong in Chad, and this decision reflects that.”
France maintains approximately 1,000 troops in Chad, but the statement did not specify when they would leave. The situation mirrors similar shifts in neighboring Senegal, where President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said it was “obvious” that the French military presence would soon end.
Faye highlighted the need to redefine the relationship with France, questioning the long-standing presence of French troops on African soil.
