Chad created a special commission on Wednesday to orchestrate the denunciation of the military cooperation agreement between Paris and N’Djamena, with a view to an “orderly withdrawal of bilateral commitments”, without indicating a precise deadline.
Chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this commission’s mission is to “officially notify the denunciation of the military cooperation agreement (…) to the French authorities through diplomatic channels”, according to an order signed by the Prime Minister.
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It will also have to design a plan for terminating the obligations provided for by the convention, manage the legal, security and logistical aspects, and collaborate with the French side to guarantee a controlled withdrawal of forces. The date of the first meeting of this commission has not yet been communicated.
The agreement, which provides for a termination period of six months from notification, constitutes a major turning point for Chad, the only Sahelian country to still host French forces after the withdrawals of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
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Announced on November 28 in the name of “sovereignty” and after “a careful evaluation”, this decision surprised Paris, although it was presented as not being motivated by “a logic of replacing a power by a other,” according to the Chadian president.
In political transition since 2020, Chad must also face multiple internal challenges: Boko Haram attacks, influx of Sudanese refugees and devastating consequences of recent floods.
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This rupture is part of a series of regional repositionings concerning the French military presence in West Africa.
