France has invited Chad’s president to Paris in a fresh attempt to mend strained relations following a sharp breakdown in military cooperation between the two countries.
The invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron was delivered verbally by France’s ambassador to Chad, Éric Gérard, during a meeting with President Mahamat Idriss Déby at the presidential palace in N’Djamena on Monday.
Chad’s presidency said Déby accepted the invitation, though no date for the visit was announced.
The move comes months after Chad abruptly terminated its defence agreement with France in November 2024, triggering the withdrawal of French troops from bases across the country. At the time, Chadian authorities described the decades-old accord with the former colonial power as “obsolete” and no longer suited to the country’s current security needs.
France had maintained around 1,000 troops in Chad, providing intelligence and logistical support to the Chadian military from several bases, including in the capital.
N’Djamena said ending the pact was part of a broader effort to assert national sovereignty and regain full control over defence policy more than 60 years after independence.
The rupture came as France’s influence in the Sahel and central Africa continued to decline, following forced military withdrawals from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso after a series of coups.
Earlier in 2024, Chad also asked US troops to leave the country, prompting speculation that it was turning away from Western partners and edging closer to Russia. Déby, however, denied any intention to replace France with another foreign power, saying Chad wanted to build new partnerships based on mutual respect.
Last week, the country signed a memorandum of understanding with Belarus, a close ally of Russia, aimed at strengthening military cooperation.
According to the Chadian presidency, Monday’s talks with the French ambassador focused on renewing bilateral cooperation through “dialogue and openness,” while taking into account the interests of both sides.
Déby’s office said the discussions offered an opportunity to reassess Franco-Chadian relations, stressing that cooperation now needed to be renewed, revitalised and adapted to shifting regional and international dynamics.