Chad has announced that it will terminate its military cooperation agreement with France, marking a significant shift in their long-standing relationship. The decision comes as a surprise to French authorities, who had just departed the country hours earlier.
France’s military presence in Chad dates back to 1900, when French troops conquered the region around Lake Chad. Since then, they have been present nearly continuously, serving as protectors of successive governments and benefiting from their central location on the continent.
However, France has not intervened directly to protect the government since 2019, except for airstrikes against rebels in Libya. The French military also played a role in supporting the Chadian government during a rebellion in April 2021, but then-President Idriss Deby was killed in combat at the time.
French President Emmanuel Macron attended Deby’s funeral and asserted France’s commitment to the survival of Chad’s regime, now led by Deby’s son Mahamat Idriss Deby. The termination of the military cooperation agreement marks a significant change in the relationship between the two countries.
Source: https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/chad-deby-france