Macron hosts Chad's leader for defence talks

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno on Tuesday at the Elysée Palace to rebuild ties after a two year military split.

Chad expelled French forces in November 2024

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 off its territory.

Part of wider French military retreat from West Africa

Chad's move came alongside French military withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups between 2020 and 2023, as juntas drew closer to Russia.

Defence ministers sign new cooperation framework

Chadian Defence Minister General Issakha Malloua Djamouss and French Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin signed a declaration of intent to structure defence cooperation on a renewed basis.

New framework covers training, expertise and technology

The declaration provides a framework to structure and develop bilateral defence cooperation in training, expertise, industry and technology, supporting capability development of Chadian armed forces.

French intelligence officers deployed to Chad

A high ranking Chadian military officer told AFP that French intelligence officers have been deployed to N'Djamena to work with Chad's national agency, and a French surveillance plane operates on the Lake Chad border.

Thaw began in January with Macron meeting

French Chadian relations have recently been on the mend. Déby was received at the Elysée Palace in January, and the two leaders met again at the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, Kenya in May.

Cooperation resumed but needed formalising

Security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year for military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing. A French diplomatic source said the countries were operating in a legal vacuum after the agreement ended.

“Cooperation has resumed, but all of this now needs to be formalised.”

Macron seeks to renew France's African engagement

Macron has sought to renew France's engagement with Africa after years of strained ties with former French speaking colonies, with focus on economic and business ties alongside security cooperation.

Chad targets thirty billion dollar investment by 2030

On the economic front, France's main employers' federation Medef hosted a forum in September bringing together 250 companies to encourage investment.

Medef to send delegation to Chad soon

The Elysée said Medef is planning to send a delegation to Chad in the coming months as part of efforts to boost French business investment and economic cooperation with the country.