N’DJAMENA, chad — Chad’s government said Thursday that it had ended its defense cooperation pact with France, a move that could see French troops leave the Central African country.
In a statement, Chad’s foreign ministry said the country, a key Western ally in the fight against Islamic militants in the region, wanted to fully assert its sovereignty after more than six decades of independence.
It said the decision to end the defense cooperation agreement revised in 2019 would enable it to redefine its strategic partnerships.
Chad has cooperated closely with Western nations’ military forces in the past, but it has moved closer to Russia in recent years.
The decision is another nail in the coffin of France’s historic and colonial role in West and Central Africa after being forced to pull its troops out of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso following military coups.
The military juntas have since turned to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed across the Sahel region – a band of countries stretching from Africa’s northwest to northeast coasts – and has been fostering closer ties with Chad’s President Mahamat Deby.
“In accordance with the terms of the accord, Chad will respect the modalities of the termination, including the necessary deadlines, and will collaborate with French authorities to ensure a harmonious transition,” the statement said.
The French foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment.
France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, on Thursday visited Chad’s border with Sudan.
There were no indications that Paris had been given advance notice of the decision, although a French envoy to President Emmanuel Macron this week handed in a report with proposals on how France could reduce its military presence in Chad, Gabon and Ivory Coast, where it has deployed thousands of troops for decades.
France has around 1,000 troops as well as warplanes stationed in Chad.
In a further blow to France, Senegal’s 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 stopped short of saying if or when French troops would be asked to leave, but he said Paris would be the first to know. Around 350 French troops are based in Senegal.
The statement by Chad’s foreign ministry said the decision to end the nation’s defense partnership with France should in no way undermine the friendly relations between the two countries.
Earlier this year, Chad ordered a small contingent of U.S. special operations to leave the country. In September, the U.S. said it was in talks for them to return.
The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment on whether it has a presence in Chad.
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