Chad and France quietly rebuild broken ties

Nearly two years after French forces in Chad were abruptly shown the door, ties are quietly being rebuilt through business, diplomacy and a more discreet security partnership.

Relations with its former colonial ruler soured sharply in November 2024 when Chad tore up a defence pact with Paris, ending six decades of French military presence in a strategic location for regional security.

The surprise move marked a further blow as the largely desert nation was France's last foothold in Africa's Sahel region after the forced withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in the wake of military coups.

But after months of tensions, N'Djamena and Paris say they want to reset a relationship that has long been dominated by security concerns.

Two Chadian ministers were in Paris last week for a business forum involving 250 companies looking to invest in the Sahelian nation.

The idea is to "demilitarise" and "diversify" ties, a French source with knowledge of the matter told AFP.

"We want to show (Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno) that we're serious when we say we want to develop the economic relationship," the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Chad's ambassador to France Amina Priscille Longoh was similarly upbeat.

"The momentum is very positive... consultations are regular and there is mutual consideration. We feel we are being heard," she told AFP.

The optics have changed too.

Finance ministers and business executives in suits and ties are now at the forefront of exchanges, replacing the military fatigues that once defined relations.

Quiet return

The thaw began in January when Deby was received at the Elysee Palace and again met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi in May.

Marking a thaw in tensions, Chad's President Mahamat Idriss Deby (L) and French President Emmanuel Macron (R) have met twice this year as the countries reset ties. By Ludovic MARIN (AFP/File)

The two leaders spoke of a "revitalised partnership", while Chad described economic cooperation as a priority.

With the public focus on trade and investment, security ties have also resumed behind the scenes.

Landlocked Chad is surrounded by violence-wracked Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya and Niger and faces attacks by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.

A senior Chadian officer told AFP that cooperation with France had restarted in a "timid and discreet" way since the start of the year, which French sources also confirmed.

In April, a team of French officers travelled to N'Djamena to assess the Chadian military's needs in training, intelligence-sharing and capacity-building.

French officials insist there will be no return to the days when Mirage fighter jets and up to 1,500 French troops were based in the country.

Several military sources described the process as "cautious" and "gradual", although occasional deployments of French combat aircraft have not been ruled out.

Chad sought new partnerships after tearing up a defence pact with Paris, ending a six-decade French military presence in the Sahelian country. By Joris Bolomey (AFP/File)

According to the Chadian officer, French personnel already in the country are working with Chad's main intelligence agency.

"They leased an ISR aircraft," he said, referring to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

"It monitors the border, tracks Boko Haram jihadists and intercepts communications. They can scan the Lake Chad region and our forces intervene."

Chad hopes France will also eventually provide a "small fleet of reconnaissance aircraft" to help monitor its vast borders, he added.

Turkish drone troubles

Deby has spent recent years diversifying Chad's security partnerships, forging closer ties with the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.

But regional events have left him in a tight spot.

The war in neighbouring Sudan has shaken regional alliances, while Chad still faces threats from Boko Haram in the west and armed groups based in Libya and Niger.

Officially neutral, Deby has nevertheless been accused by Sudan's army of helping channel Emirati arms to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

N'Djamena also received around $700 million in Emirati loans and direct financing in 2023 and 2024.

Experts say Chad is increasingly unsure about the future of the partnership with the UAE.

"They know Abu Dhabi's interest is mainly linked to Sudan. The wind could change at any moment depending how the war evolves," said one regional observer.

Chad had also hoped Turkish-made drones would replace some of the aerial surveillance and combat capabilities lost when the French military left.

But "things haven't gone as planned", according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Some drones have reportedly been grounded repeatedly because of $50 million in unpaid bills, the source said, although a Chadian officer denied the claim and praised the "impeccable" devices.