France and Chad have resumed military cooperation nearly two years after N’Djamena ordered French troops to leave the country, ending a decades-long defence partnership.
The French military announced on Thursday that two Mirage fighter jets and a transport aircraft would soon stop in Chad for training activities.
The announcement follows renewed diplomatic talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.
According to Africanews, citing AFP, the two countries are rebuilding security ties while maintaining Chad’s sovereignty.
France and Chad restart military training
The French military said the aircraft would visit Chad as part of a regional military exercise scheduled for November.
The exercise will involve forces from France, Ivory Coast and Gabon.
During their stopover, the French aircraft will conduct training activities with Chad’s armed forces.
Xavier Rival, spokesperson for the French chief of defence staff, confirmed that cooperation had resumed.
He said the renewed partnership would respect Chad’s sovereignty.
France also aims to strengthen the capabilities of Chad’s air force and support efforts to address regional instability.
However, the announcement does not indicate that France will permanently redeploy troops to Chad.
Macron and Déby seek stronger relations
The latest developments follow a meeting between Macron and Déby in Paris on October 13.
During the visit, the two leaders signed a declaration of intent to rebuild defence cooperation.
The agreement aims to establish a new framework for military relations between the countries.
According to the French presidency, security cooperation had already resumed earlier in 2026.
The initial areas of cooperation included military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing.
The latest aircraft deployment represents another step in rebuilding the relationship.
Chad ended French military presence in 2024
Chad terminated its defence cooperation agreement with France in 2024.
The decision ended a military partnership that had lasted approximately six decades.
For years, Chad served as one of France’s most important security partners in the Sahel.
French forces used the country as a regional base for military operations against armed groups.
However, Chad’s decision to end the agreement marked another setback for France’s military presence in Africa.
The withdrawal followed similar developments elsewhere in the region.
France’s military influence declines in the Sahel
France has significantly reduced its military presence across the Sahel in recent years.
At its peak, Operation Barkhane involved more than 5,000 French troops deployed across the region.
The operation, which targeted armed groups, ended in November 2022.
Meanwhile, military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2020 and 2023 transformed regional security relations.
The new authorities in those countries demanded the withdrawal of French forces.
They also developed closer relations with Russia.
As a result, France lost several longstanding military partnerships in West Africa.
Chad’s decision to end its defence agreement in 2024 further reduced Paris’s regional military footprint.
Renewed partnership signals diplomatic shift
The resumption of France-Chad military cooperation signals a change in relations between the two governments.
However, the new arrangement appears different from the previous model of permanent French military deployments.
Instead, the countries are focusing on training, intelligence sharing and technical support.
France says the cooperation will help Chad strengthen its military capabilities.
For Chad, the arrangement could provide additional security assistance without restoring the previous defence structure.
The planned November training activities will offer an early indication of how the renewed partnership operates.
The developments also come as France continues to reassess its military relationships across Africa.