Chad ends military ties with France

The withdrawal of French armed forces is ongoing at the Chadian military base in Abéché. Chad has ended its military cooperation with its former colonial power, France, joining at least five other African countries that have cut military ties with France since 2022.

Following the decision made by Chadian authorities to terminate defence and security cooperation agreements on November 28, 2024, the withdrawal of the forces stationed in the country began promptly.

As the country’s third-largest city, Abéché endured significant hardships during the French colonial period, leading its residents to welcome the departure of the French military with open arms.

The Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans, Issakha Maloua Djamous, traveled from N’Djamena and arrived at the Abéché military base on Friday afternoon local time, aboard a military aircraft sent for the occasion.

Following the departure of fighter jets from the Adji Kosseï base on December 10, 2024 and the subsequent evacuation of the Faya base, it is now Abéché’s turn to be “liberated,“ as stated by Aziz Mahamat Saleh, the Minister of Infrastructure. In the city, crowds gathered along the road, cheering as the minister passed by, accompanied by joyous ululations and shouts of celebration.

In November last year, Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah called France “an essential partner” but said it “must now also consider that Chad has grown up, matured and is a sovereign state that is very jealous of its sovereignty”.

“The government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to end the accord in the field of defence signed with the French republic,” Koulamallah said in a statement on Facebook.

Chad has cooperated closely with Western nations’ military forces in the past, but has moved closer to Russia in recent years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision to terminate the deal, which was revised in 2019, would enable the country to redefine its strategic partnerships.

Deby was sworn in as president in May after three years as an interim leader under military rule. His father, Idriss Deby, had governed Chad since a coup in the early 1990s. Landlocked Chad borders the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya and Niger, all of which host paramilitary forces from Russia’s Wagner Group.

The Foreign Ministry statement on Thursday said that Chad, a key Western ally in the fight against armed groups in the region, wanted to fully assert its sovereignty after 66 years of independence.

“In accordance with the terms of the accord, Chad will respect the modalities of the termination including the necessary deadlines, and will collaborate with French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition,” it said.

Other African countries that asked French military to leave

• Mali: In March 2022, Mali’s military government asked France to withdraw its troops “without delay.”
• Burkina Faso: In January 2023, Burkina Faso’s military government formally announced the termination of its military agreement with France, requiring the withdrawal of approximately 400 French special forces personnel.
• Niger: In August 2023, Niger denounced its cooperation agreements with France in the field of security and defence, and ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itté to leave the country within 48 hours.
• Senegal: In November 2024, Senegal announced plans to end the French military presence of 350 troops on its territory.
• Ivory Coast: In December 2024, Ivory Coast officials announced that the French military would withdraw from the nation.

Source: AfricaNews, Aljazeera

Ivory Coast asks French troops to leave