French Relations With Chad: A Forecast

French influence in the Sahel is declining. On September 24th, President Macron announced the withdrawal of French troops from Niger, reflecting France’s waning role in the region. While Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger reduced relations with France evident by the dissolution of the G5 Sahel group and expulsion of French influence in said countries.

Chad remains a bastion for French influence and a base for French counterterrorism operations in the Sahel, boasting the most experienced and capable military force in the region, due to France. However, Chad faces many of the same issues with insecurity as other Sahelian states, such as growing public exasperation with French involvement and external security threats.

N’djamena is also dealing with an influx of refugees from neighbouring Sudan and internal rebellions. Ultimately, Chad’s instability makes them an imperfect partner for France and other Western governments.