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Chad: The French military presence

By on August 13, 2010
Chadian President, Idriss Deby, has called, at the 50th anniversary of independence, to review the terms of the presence of the French military mission, called “Epervier” in Chad. “We are moving towards a revision of the Agreement between France and Chad”, Deby said.

This challenge occurred after President Deby has obtained the departure the UN mission (MINURCAT) from Chad, which he considered a failure.
The Chadian president, who largely benefited from the French military presence during the last two rebel attacks on Ndjamena, decided to follow the same path as his peers Abdoulaye Wade and Ismael Omar Guelleh. The Senegalese presidents and djiboutien want that France pays more to maintain its military presence in their countries. Idriss Déby thus wishes the same for Chad.
“Epervier” has been deployed for 20 years now and it does no longer play its role, despite some care assistance or logistical support in case of aggression somewhere”, he said. The French mission, the third in Africa, composed about a thousand elements, is still based at the N’Djamena Airport and the Abéché airport, in eastern country.
In Paris, the Ministry of Defence reacted immediately by saying that the French government was “ready to consider” the demands of the president of Chad.
Meanwhile France and Senegal have agreed, at the request of Dakar, to close the French military bases in that country. But in late July, however, the foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, said France wanted “to strengthen its defence” in the Sahel after the death of Michael Germaneau. Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has claimed its responsibility for his execution.

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