Chad, an ally of France, wants to strengthen its ties with Russia

Chad, an ally of France, is a “sister country» of Russia, said Wednesday the transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, received by Vladimir Putin who assured him in return that Moscow could help “stabilize the situation” in the country. Russia has set itself the goal of regaining its influence in Africa, lost after the fall of the USSR. The Kremlin has particularly focused its efforts in the Sahel countries, to compete with France, notably deploying paramilitary groups.

“I came as a friendly country, a brother country, a sovereign country (which wants) to strengthen its relations with a friendly country“, declared General Déby, believing that his visit to Moscow would help “strengthen our bilateral relations“. Vladimir Putin congratulated him for having “managed to stabilize the situation» in Chad and claimed that Russia there “would contribute in any way possible“. Relations between Chad and Russiahave particularly developed in recent years», he rejoiced.

Russian influence in Africa

This visit and these warm remarks provide a new illustration of Russia’s efforts to influence the Sahel. Chad, where the French army still maintains a contingent, is France’s last privileged partner in the Sahel, after the forced and forced withdrawal of French soldiers from Mali in August 2022, from Burkina Faso in February 2023 and from Niger in December last. Each of these three countries moved closer to Russia at the same time, particularly on a military level.

The Chadian army is considered the pillar of the war against jihadists in the region. On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin said to himself “certain» that general elections would be organized in Chad «in the near future“. In mid-January, General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno was named candidate for the presidential election scheduled to be held at the end of 2024.

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In April 2021, he was proclaimed transitional president by the army, at the head of a junta of 15 generals, after the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, killed by rebels on his way to the front. The leader had promised to organize elections after a “transition» by 18 months, then pushed this deadline back by two years. General Déby also presented his “condolences» to Vladimir Putin for the death of “Russian soldiers» in the crash of a military plane near Ukraine on Wednesday. The plane was carrying 74 people, including 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war.