France is working to repair its military relationship with Chad, sending two Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a CASA transport aircraft for a technical stopover. The visit will include training activities, with French forces helping to develop the capabilities of the Chadian air force. This move marks a significant shift in relations between the two countries.
The decision to send warplanes to Chad comes two years after N'Djamena pushed French forces out, ending a security arrangement that had lasted about six decades. Chad's move aligned it with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where French forces were also asked to leave. However, relations have since improved, with President Emmanuel Macron hosting Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno for talks in mid-October.
The two sides signed a declaration of intent to structure their defence cooperation "on a renewed basis". The Elysée says security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year, covering military training, equipment supplies, and intelligence sharing. French forces will help develop the capabilities of the Chadian air force.
The resumption of cooperation is "in full respect of Chad's sovereignty", according to Xavier Rival, spokesman for the French chief of defence staff. This emphasis on sovereignty is deliberate, as French officials know that the old model of permanent bases and troop presence became politically toxic across the Sahel.
The stopover will fall within a joint military exercise in November involving the armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, and France. Chad is a strategically important state, situated between the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, and Sudan's war zone, and is a key player in the fight against Boko Haram and ISWAP.
For Paris, keeping a foothold in Chad matters as its influence shrinks in the AES states, where Russia and Türkiye have gained ground. For Chad, diversifying partners gives N'Djamena leverage rather than tying it to one patron. The test will be whether this renewed cooperation delivers real gains in capability without reviving the resentment that ended the earlier arrangement.
The move is a practical calculation for Chad, as air power, training, and intelligence are costly to build alone. The renewed cooperation between France and Chad is seen as a partnership rather than dependence, allowing N'Djamena to present cooperation as a mutually beneficial arrangement.
Key points
- France sends fighter jets to Chad for training, marking a turnaround in relations.
- The renewed cooperation is "in full respect of Chad's sovereignty".
- The move is a practical calculation for Chad, as air power, training, and intelligence are costly to build alone.
