*Fatshimetrie*
Hundreds of people converged on the streets of N’Djamena, Chad, calling with one voice for the withdrawal of French troops from the country. The mobilization follows the Chadian government’s decision to end a military cooperation agreement with its former colonizer, France.
In the heart of the capital, protesters chanted slogans such as “Chad for us, France out,” brandishing banners declaring their refusal to see a single Frenchman on Chadian soil. The official statement announcing the end of the defense agreement with France did not specify the departure schedule for the approximately 1,000 French soldiers present in Chad.
Some protesters headed to a military airbase housing French soldiers, demanding their immediate withdrawal. Others gathered in front of the French embassy, where a large security presence from the Chadian army protected the building.
“We no longer want the French presence in Chad,” said Dr. Hissein Massar, a former public health minister. “This protest will end when the French leave Chad,” he added.
Chad was one of the last countries in the region where France maintained a significant military presence, having been ousted in recent years from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, which have been battling Islamist extremist groups alongside regional troops. Those countries have been cozying up to Russia, which has deployed mercenaries in the Sahel region, a vast expanse beneath the Sahara Desert.
Chad’s interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, took power after his father, who ruled the country for more than three decades, died in fighting rebels in 2021. Last year, the government announced an extension of the 18-month transition by two more years, sparking nationwide protests.
Chad has stated that the decision to terminate the agreement in no way calls into question its historical ties with France and that it wishes to maintain relations in other areas of common interest. The Chadian population is now waiting to see how this situation will evolve, in the hope of an outcome that will truly reflect the country’s aspirations and interests.