# Chad orders French troops to leave, ends defence cooperation

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2024/12/chad-orders-french-troops-to-leave-ends-defence-cooperation/
- Published: 2024-12-04T22:52:50+01:00
- Author: Kazim Abdul and Military Africa

Chad has become the latest African nation to request the withdrawal of French forces
from its territory. In a news conference held on Sunday, Chadian President Mahamat
Idriss Deby justified his decision to terminate military ties with France, stating
that the current defense agreement no longer aligns with Chad’s security requirements.

The decision mandates France to withdraw its troops from the Central African nation.
This move reflects the growing anti-French sentiment among civil society groups,
who believe such action is long overdue.

Deby said military ties with France that have existed for close to 65 years are 
in no way helping to rescue Chad from what he calls growing security challenges,
including terrorism and armed conflicts.

In a Sunday broadcast on state TV, Deby said his decision to end cooperation agreements
with the French military is part of a promise he made during his May 23 inauguration,
ending three years of military transition.

In the message, Deby said he would build reciprocal relations only with friendly
nations that respect each other’s independence and sovereignty and assist each other
in times of crisis. Deby promised to stop ties with countries he said behaved as
if Chad had remained their colony.

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The central African state first announced that it was ending military ties with 
France last week. The announcement came after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel 
Barrot visited Chad and was told that Chad’s military is [strong enough to protect civilians and their property,](https://www.military.africa/2024/02/french-special-forces-rescue-polish-doctor-in-chad-in-dramatic-night-ops/#google_vignette)
according to government officials.

Last Friday, the French foreign ministry said it had taken note of Chad’s decision
to end the military agreement with Paris, but gave no further details.

N’Djamena is one of the world’s poorest countries, a crucial territory in the fight
against jihadism across the Sahel desert region.

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Deby’s decision has reignited debates among civil society and opposition groups,
who argue that France’s overbearing influence has provoked tensions in several African
countries, particularly Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger, and Senegal. Mamadou Doudet,
coordinator of Chad’s Patriotic Movement, an opposition political party, stated 
that he, along with representatives from several dozen civil society organizations
and opposition parties, met in N’Djamena on Monday to request that Deby order the
departure of over a thousand French troops stationed in Chad.

Doudet said the presence of French troops in Chad is of no use. He said Chad’s civil
society and opposition find it very difficult to understand why French troops did
not assist Chad last month when Boko Haram attacked and killed 40 Chadian soldiers
in a military garrison in Lake Chad shared by Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.

France has around 1,000 troops as well as warplanes stationed in Chad. In October
last year, some French troops [withdrew from Nigér](https://www.military.africa/2023/10/french-forces-leaves-niger-redeployed-to-chad/#google_vignette)
and redeployed in Chad. French military involvement in the Sahel region had been
part of [Operation Barkhane](https://www.military.africa/2018/06/operation-barkhane-french-war-in-africas-sahel),
which aimed to counter Islamist extremist groups.

## **Chad ends defense cooperation pact with France**

Chad’s government said Thursday that it had ended its defense cooperation pact with
France, a move that could see French troops leave the Central African country.

In a statement, Chad’s foreign ministry said the country, a key Western ally in 
the fight against Islamic militants in the region, wanted to fully assert its sovereignty
after more than six decades of independence.

It said the decision to end the defense cooperation agreement revised in 2019 would
enable it to redefine its strategic partnerships.

Chad has cooperated closely with Western nations’ military forces in the past, but
it has moved closer to Russia in recent years.

The military juntas have since turned to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed 
across the Sahel region – a band of countries stretching from Africa’s northwest
to northeast coasts – and has been fostering closer ties with Chad’s President Mahamat
Deby.

“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,” the statement said.

## **African countries kicks France out**

This recent development is part of a broader shift in West Africa, where countries
like Mali, Senegal, [Burkina Faso](https://www.military.africa/2023/01/french-forces-asked-to-leave-burkina-faso-amid-closer-ties-with-russia/),
and [Niger](https://www.military.africa/2023/10/french-forces-leaves-niger-redeployed-to-chad/)
have expelled French forces.

Barely a few weeks ago, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also [called for the closure of all French military bases](https://www.military.africa/2024/12/senegal-asks-france-to-close-military-bases/)
in the country, asserting that their presence is “incompatible” with Senegal’s national
sovereignty. Faye, who came to power in the March elections, made this announcement
on Thursday, emphasizing the need for Senegal to assert its independence.

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Meanwhile, France had pledged to reduce it’s military footprint in Africa, first,
in the Summer of 2020, President Macron had said that [France would reassess and restructure its Barkhane force](https://www.military.africa/2020/11/war-weary-france-plans-troops-drawdown-in-africa/)
by the end of the year. The troops drawdown will make France focus on its **[Special Operations Task Force “Takuba” ](https://www.military.africa/2020/11/war-weary-france-plans-troops-drawdown-in-africa/military.africa/2020/04/european-task-force-takuba-to-deploy-to-sahel)**
commitments.

And then in February 2023, Macron announced “noticeable reduction” of French troop
presence in Africa, as anti-French sentiment is running high in some former colonies
and countries like Russia are vying for greater influence.

According to a plan currently [under discussion with African partner](https://www.military.africa/2024/06/france-to-reduce-troops-in-africa/)
s, France is planning to drastically reduce its so-called “pre-positioned” forces
in Africa.

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