Chad, one of the last Sahelian countries to host French forces, announced Thursday evening, November 28, that it was ending security and defense agreements with Paris, a few hours after a visit by the head of French diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot . The same day, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also indicated in an interview with AFP that France would have to close its military bases in his country. Announcements which complete Paris' loss of military influence in the Sahel region, after its forced withdrawal linked to the coups d'état in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
“The government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to terminate the defense cooperation agreement signed with the French Republic,” declared Chadian Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah on the ministry Facebook page. “France is an essential partner, but it must also now consider that Chad has grown, has matured and that Chad is a sovereign state and very jealous of its sovereignty,” noted Abderaman Koulamallah a little earlier at the end a meeting between President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno and Jean-Noël Barrot.
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Last May, three years of transition ended in N'Djamena with the election of Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, brought to power by a military junta after the death of his father Idriss Déby killed by rebels at the front. Threatened by rebel offensives, Déby senior was able to count on the support of the French army to repel them in 2008 and then in 2019.
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The decision was “taken after an in-depth analysis” and marks a “historic turning point”, indicates the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “This is not a break with France like Niger or elsewhere,” Abderaman Koulamallah, whose country still hosts around a thousand French soldiers, nevertheless assured AFP by telephone. “Chad, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement, undertakes to respect the terms provided for its termination, including the notice period,” specifies the ministerial press release, which does not mention a date for withdrawal of French troops.
“Sovereignty”
“After 66 years of the proclamation of the Republic of Chad, it is time for Chad to assert its full sovereignty, and to redefine its strategic partnerships according to national priorities,” he added, assuring that the Jean-Noël Barrot's visit also made it possible to strengthen bilateral relations “at all levels”.
The visit by the head of French diplomacy aimed to take stock of the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Sudan. Alongside the Chadian minister, he visited the Saudi refugee camps in Adré where he announced additional aid from France of 7 million euros to help humanitarian organizations. He further urged the belligerents in Sudan to cease their hostilities and called on “foreign powers that are allied with the belligerents to stop adding fuel to the fire” by providing them with weapons. Although he did not cite any country other than Russia, the United Arab Emirates are accused of supplying weapons to the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (FSR), and Chad of supporting them by allowing weapons to transit through its territory. . On Monday, Emmanuel Macron's personal envoy to Africa, Jean-Marie Bockel, submitted to the French president his report on the reconfiguration of the French military system in Africa, which advocates a “renewed” and “co-constructed” partnership, according to the Elysée.
French bases soon to be closed in Senegal
Chad's announcement comes as Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye also told AFP on Thursday that France would have to close its military bases in Senegal, also invoking the argument of sovereignty. “Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accommodate the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” said the head of state during an interview at the presidential palace. .
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Elected in March on the promise of restoring the sovereignty of his country, he also assured that it was not an act of “rupture”, and defended a “renewed partnership” with the former colonial power and historic French ally. “Sixty-five years soon after our independence, the French authorities must also consider having a partnership stripped of this military presence,” indicated Bassirou Diomaye Faye. “Today, China is our first commercial partner. Does China have a military presence in Senegal? No”, adds the Senegalese president, who nevertheless says he wishes to maintain “a privileged partnership” with Paris. “France remains an important partner for Senegal in terms of the level of investments, the presence of French companies and even French citizens who are in Senegal,” he assured.
