As Sahel nations move closer to Russia, Chad’s top diplomat says the country is ‘very jealous of its sovereignty’.
Chad has said it is ending its defense cooperation agreement with former colonial power France, a move that would require French troops to leave the Central African country.
Foreign Minister Abdermane Koulamallah called France “an essential partner”, but said that “now it must also consider that Chad has grown up, matured and is a sovereign state that is very jealous of its sovereignty”. .
The announcement came hours after a visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Thursday.
Chad has cooperated closely with the military forces of Western countries in the past, but in recent years has drawn closer to Russia.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the decision to end the deal, which was revised in 2019, will enable the country to redefine its strategic partnership.
France currently has about 1,000 troops deployed as well as warplanes in Chad, the last Sahel country to host French troops.
France has been forced to withdraw its troops from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso in the last two years following military coups.
Koumalla did not give any date for the withdrawal of French troops.
He was speaking at a press conference on Thursday after a meeting between Barot and President Mahamat Idris Deby, who has sought closer ties with Russia.
“The Government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to conclude the agreement in the field of defense with the French Republic,” Koulamallah said in a statement on Facebook.
Deby was sworn in as president in May after serving as interim leader for three years under military rule. His father, Idris Deby, had ruled Chad since a coup in the early 1990s.
Landlocked Chad is bordered by the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya and Niger, all of which host paramilitaries from Russia’s Wagner Group.
Chad, a key Western ally in the fight against armed groups in the region, wants to fully assert its sovereignty after 66 years of independence, a Foreign Ministry statement said Thursday.
“In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Chad will respect the modalities of termination, including required deadlines, and will cooperate with the French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition,” it said.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in an interview with French state TV on Thursday that it was inappropriate for French troops to maintain a presence in his country.
He avoided saying if or when the French troops would be asked to leave. About 350 French troops are based in Senegal.
