Macron, Chad's Deby seek to rebuild defence partnership

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday hosted Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno as the two countries seek to rebuild ties two years after N'Djamena ordered French forces to leave its territory.

Relations between France and its former colony nosedived in November 2024, when Chad ended a six-decade security arrangement with Paris by ordering French troops out.

The move compounded French military withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in the wake of military coups between 2020 and 2023, as the juntas in those countries drew closer to Russia.

On Tuesday, France and Chad signed a declaration of intent to structure their defence cooperation "on a renewed basis."

"We are taking a new step forward and formalising the strengthening of our defence partnership, in line with a renewed relationship," Macron said on X after hosting the Chadian president at the Elysee Palace.

"We are building a partnership based on mutual respect and practical cooperation for the benefit of our peoples."

Signed by the two countries' defence ministers, the declaration of intent provides a framework to "structure and develop bilateral defence cooperation, notably in the areas of training, expertise, industry and technology," the French presidency said.

It will help "support the capability development of the Chadian armed forces in innovative fields", the the Elysee added, without providing further details.

French-Chadian relations have recently been on the mend, with both countries edging towards a discreet partnership with a stronger role for economic and business ties.

The thaw began in January when Deby was received at the Elysee Palace, and he and Macron again met at a summit in Nairobi in May.

According to the Elysee, security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year, notably for military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing.

A French diplomatic source said recently that the two countries were operating in a "legal vacuum" after N'Djamena terminated the agreement.

"Cooperation has resumed, but all of this now needs to be formalised," the source said.

Macron has sought to renew France's engagement with Africa after years of strained ties with former Frenchâ€'speaking colonies.