France is taking fresh steps to rebuild its military relationship with Chad, with two Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a transport aircraft scheduled to make a technical stopover in the Central African country for training activities.
The planned visit signals renewed military engagement between the two countries following months of diplomatic tensions that culminated in the withdrawal of French troops from Chad in early 2025.
According to the French military, the aircraft will stop in Chad as part of a joint military exercise scheduled for November, involving the armed forces of France, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon.
Xavier Rival, spokesperson for the French Chief of Defence Staff, confirmed the planned deployment on Thursday, explaining that the aircraft would use the stopover to conduct technical operations and training.
“It will be a short visit that will also provide an opportunity to conduct training activities,” he said.
The development marks a significant step in efforts to repair relations between Paris and N’Djamena, which deteriorated from mid-2024 before reaching a major diplomatic setback in November of that year.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno formally ended the country’s military cooperation agreement with France, paving the way for the departure of French forces. The withdrawal was completed in early 2025.
However, both governments have since shown renewed interest in restoring their relationship through diplomatic engagement and broader cooperation.
Rival said France had restarted its military partnership with Chad while recognising the country’s independence and decision-making authority.
He added that the renewed engagement would include support for strengthening the operational capabilities of the Chadian air force.
“France’s objective is to contribute to efforts against regional instability,” he added.
France Seeks New Military Role in the Sahel
Chad’s renewed engagement with France is particularly significant given its former position as one of Paris’s most important military partners in the Sahel.
France previously maintained a substantial military presence across the region, deploying more than 5,000 personnel under Operation Barkhane, its counterterrorism campaign against jihadist groups. The operation officially ended in November 2022.
However, a series of military coups between 2020 and 2023 significantly weakened France’s regional influence. Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger subsequently ended security partnerships with Paris and moved closer to Moscow, forcing French troops to leave those countries.
Against this backdrop, France and Chad are now working to establish a different kind of relationship, extending beyond military cooperation to include economic, diplomatic and cultural partnerships.
Macron and Déby Intensify Diplomatic Engagement
French President Emmanuel Macron has been actively involved in efforts to restore relations with Chad, holding discussions with Déby during the Chadian leader’s visit to Paris in mid-October.
The meeting followed an earlier visit in January and formed part of broader negotiations aimed at rebuilding confidence between the two governments.
During the October discussions, both countries signed a declaration of intent outlining plans to strengthen their defence partnership.
Reacting to the agreement, Macron announced on X that the two countries were entering a new phase of cooperation.
“We are taking a new step forward and formalising the strengthening of our defence partnership, in line with a renewed relationship,” Macron posted on social media platform X, after hosting Déby at the Élysée Palace.
“We are building a partnership based on mutual respect and practical cooperation for the benefit of our peoples.”
The renewed diplomatic initiative is also consistent with Macron’s broader efforts to restore France’s influence and strengthen its partnerships across Africa after years of deteriorating relations with several former French colonies.
Economic Cooperation Also on the Agenda
Beyond security matters, France and Chad are exploring opportunities to deepen their economic relationship, with investment and private-sector partnerships emerging as important areas of focus.
In September, France’s main employers’ federation, Medef, organised a France-Chad business forum that attracted approximately 250 companies. The event was designed to promote investment opportunities and encourage stronger commercial relations between the two countries.
The French presidency has also indicated that Medef intends to organise a business delegation to Chad in the coming months to explore further opportunities.
For Chad, attracting foreign investment is central to its long-term economic transformation agenda.
Under an ambitious national development programme aimed at diversifying the economy, the country hopes to mobilise €26.5 billion in public and private investment by 2030.
The government also aims to increase the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 60 per cent within the same period.
The renewed military and economic engagement suggests that Paris and N’Djamena are seeking to move beyond their recent diplomatic differences and establish a partnership built around security cooperation, investment and mutual interests.
