The presidents of Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby, and French, Emmanuel Macron, agreed “strengthen cooperation” bilateral in “the economic, military and cultural fields” during an interview before the Francophonie Summit, the Elysée announced on Friday, October 4. During this meeting, on Thursday, October 3 at the Elysée, Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed the “France’s availability to support Chad in the implementation of its economic and social development priorities”reported the French presidency.
he also has “recalled the importance for France of the privileged partnership it maintains with Chad”the Elysée stressed. The two leaders also “they discussed the importance of the next steps that will allow the transition cycle to be completed” in Chad following the election of Mahamat Idriss Déby as president in May, three years after he assumed power at the head of a military junta.
Resist Russian influence
Chad is one of the last missing pieces in the puzzle that Moscow is trying to build in the Sahel, France’s former sphere of influence but whose army was expelled to the benefit of Russia in three countries, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. Paris still maintains around a thousand soldiers in Chad and recently reaffirmed its intention to maintain a military presence there, but “resized” down.
Emmanuel Macron also specified that “France will continue its efforts to support Chad in the event of climate disasters, as it did during the [récentes] floods ». These floods have killed more than 500 people in Chad since July and more than 1.7 million people are affected.
