French Military Withdrawal from Chad
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Synopsis
Chad celebrated the formal withdrawal of French troops on January 31, 2025. President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno stated that while military cooperation ends, dialogue with France will continue, emphasizing the importance of independence and sovereignty for Chad.
Key Takeaways
- Chad marks the withdrawal of French troops.
- President Deby emphasizes the importance of independence.
- Termination of 125-year military presence.
- Future military strength relies on local troops.
- Chad remains open to international dialogue.
N'Djamena, Jan 31 (NationPress) A significant ceremony took place on Friday in Chad to commemorate the official withdrawal of French military forces from the Central African nation.
During the event, France formally transferred its primary military installation in N'Djamena, the capital city of Chad, signifying the conclusion of its 125-year military engagement in the region.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno emphasized at the Adji Kossei military base, “We are not severing our ties with France, but we are concluding the military aspect of this partnership.”
He expressed that Chad remains open to discussions with all its global partners, including France, while stressing that any new alliances should be grounded in mutual respect and adhere to the principles of independence and sovereignty.
“We now need to rely on the courage and skills of our soldiers,” the president stated, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
“We must develop a more robust and well-equipped military capable of addressing emerging threats.”
In November 2024, Chad announced the termination of its security and defense cooperation agreement with France.
Following this, on December 10, the departure of some French troops from Chad commenced.
On December 31, 2024, President Deby declared the complete withdrawal of French forces from the nation by January 31, 2025.
“I applaud the exit of the first contingent of French troops stationed in Chad. Additional contingents will follow until the full withdrawal by January 31, 2025,” Deby remarked during a televised address to the nation.
He expressed his belief that this decision was a reflection of a “shared and legitimate desire” of the Chadian populace.
“Every struggle for independence or sovereignty entails sacrifices, and we owe it to future generations, just as our ancestors made sacrifices to leave us a stable nation,” stated the Chadian President.
Recently, France initiated the withdrawal of its troops, with several fighter jets departing from a French base located in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, according to reports from the Chadian military.
The Chadian military has assured that updates on each phase of the withdrawal will be communicated to the public until all French forces have completely departed.
Prior to the withdrawal, France had approximately 1,000 soldiers stationed in Chad, according to French officials.
