Chad terminates defense cooperation pact with France

Chad has announced the termination of its defence cooperation agreement with France, requiring French troops to leave the country.

The decision, announced Thursday after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot’s visit, ends a 2019 agreement, aiming to redefine Chad’s strategic alliances. About 1,000 French soldiers and warplanes are currently stationed in Chad, the last Sahel country hosting French forces following withdrawals from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in recent years.

Chadian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah confirmed the decision via Facebook, stating the government’s intent to end the accord.

Meanwhile, Senegal, another former French colony hosting 350 French troops, may follow suit. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye told Le Monde that French military presence in Senegal was inappropriate, hinting at an eventual withdrawal to redefine relations with France.