The government of Chad announced on November 28 that it will terminate its defense cooperation agreement with France, paving the way for the withdrawal of French troops from the country. The decision was made just hours after a meeting between the foreign ministers of Chad and France in the Chadian capital, N’Djamena.
Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared the end of the defense agreement, which was revised in 2019, signaling that French forces stationed in the country may now leave.
Chad emphasized that “After 66 years since the independence 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.”
The statement said, “This decision, taken after in-depth analysis, marks a historic turning point.”
The French government has yet to issue a formal response to the announcement. France positioned approximately 1,000 troops in Chad, a remnant of its colonial past. If the withdrawal proceeds, it would signify France losing its final stronghold in the Sahel region.
This development follows a broader trend in the Sahel region, where countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have expelled French troops in recent years. These nations have shifted toward cooperation with Russia following the establishment of military-led regimes.
On the same day as Chad’s announcement, Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said that France should close its military bases in Senegal.
He also acknowledged, for the first time, France’s responsibility for the 1944 massacre of Senegalese soldiers. President Faye reaffirmed “Senegal is an independent country; it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country.”
