Macron hosts Chadian President Déby for talks aimed at resetting ties

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno is set to visit Paris on Thursday, where he will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in a sign of improving relations between the two countries after more than a year of tension.

Talks will focus on the future of relations between France and Chad, with the stated aim of building a renewed and mutually beneficial partnership, according to a statement from the French presidency.

The meeting comes after a prolonged diplomatic chill triggered by N'Djamena's decision to end a long-standing defence agreement with France.

Chad's presidency struck a conciliatory note earlier this week following talks between Déby and the French ambassador, saying it wanted to “redefine” cooperation with Paris so that it is better adapted to today's challenges.

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From rupture to recalibration

Relations began to deteriorate in mid-2024 and reached a breaking point when Chad formally terminated its military cooperation agreement with France at the end of November that year.

The move led to the complete withdrawal of French troops from the country under Déby's leadership.

Chad had been France's last military foothold in the Sahel, a region where Paris once deployed more than 5,000 soldiers as part of its anti-jihadist Operation Barkhane, which itself ended in November 2022.

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Tensions were further inflamed in January 2025 when Macron's remarks about the “ingratitude” of African countries towards the French army prompted a sharp response from Déby.

The rift had already been deepened months earlier when French courts opened an investigation into the Chadian leader over alleged misappropriation of public funds and concealment, notably linked to expenses incurred in Paris.

Shifting diplomatic landscape

Propelled to power following the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, in April 2021, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno consolidated his position by winning the presidential election in May 2024 – a vote that was contested by the opposition.

As relations with Paris cooled, N'Djamena moved swiftly to diversify its international partnerships, strengthening ties with the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Russia.

The Chadian president has also shown a willingness to engage across the French political spectrum, receiving Marine Le Pen of France's far-right National Rally party, during a visit to N'Djamena in March.

(with newswires)