N’DJAMENA: General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, the transitional president of Chad, has arrived in Russia for an official visit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, as announced by both states. The Chad presidency stated on its Facebook page that the head of state is undertaking an official visit to Moscow.
The Kremlin confirmed the visit and revealed a scheduled meeting between the two leaders on Wednesday. Discussions are expected to cover “perspectives for the development of Russian-Chadian relations in different areas along with current regional and international issues.”
Chad, which maintains a French military contingent, stands as France’s last close partner in the Sahel region after the withdrawal of French troops from Mali in August 2022, Burkina Faso in February 2023, and Niger in December. These countries have subsequently strengthened ties with Russia, particularly in the military sphere, following the conclusion of Operation Barkhane, led by France from 2014 to 2022, which aimed to counter insurgency in the Sahel.
Russia, including private Wagner mercenaries, maintains a significant presence in the Central African Republic, Libya, and Sudan, neighboring Chad. General Mahamat Deby assumed leadership of an army junta two years ago following the killing of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had seized power in a coup and governed the nation for three decades with an authoritative grip.
Chad’s army is widely recognized as a key player in the fight against jihadist activities in the region.
The transitional regime, led by General Deby, has indicated a commitment to holding presidential elections by the end of the current year, in alignment with international calls to adhere to the initial pledge of conducting elections within 18 months.
