Hundreds of people gathered in Chad’s capital on Friday to show support for the government’s recent decision to end its military cooperation agreement with France.
An estimated 500 protesters convened at N’Djari Stadium, carrying placards reading “Bar France” and “Free Chad, France Leave.”
Similar demonstrations were held on Thursday in Abeche, an eastern commercial hub, according to Chad Infos, a state-run broadcaster.
The protests follow Chad’s November 28 announcement to terminate its decades-long defense agreement with France.
The accord, primarily established at the country’s independence in 1960, allowed for the stationing of approximately 1,000 French troops in Chad.
A statement from the prime minister’s office emphasized that the decision marks Chad’s “firm determination to regain sovereignty in national defense matters.”
A special government committee tasked with overseeing the end of the agreement met for the first time on Thursday, underscoring the country’s commitment to this historic policy shift.
The move is seen as part of a broader regional trend of diminishing French influence in the Sahel, where countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have severed military ties with Paris in recent years.
Chad’s leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, has also taken steps to strengthen ties with Russia, although talks on economic cooperation remain inconclusive.
The decision to end the defense pact with France comes amid ongoing threats from militant groups, including Boko Haram, which have destabilized the region.
France, already forced to withdraw troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after military coups in those countries, risks losing its final significant military presence in the region with this latest development.
The demonstrations in Chad reflect strong grassroots support for the government’s decision, with citizens waving national flags and chanting slogans opposing French military presence.
Protesters described the move as a necessary step towards reclaiming full national sovereignty.
The Chadian government has not yet announced a timeline for the withdrawal of French forces, but the protests underline growing public and political momentum behind the decision.