France woos Chad, sends fighter jets to offer training

Two French fighter jets and a transport aircraft will make a stopover in Chad "very soon," where they will carry out "training activities," the French army said Thursday, as the two countries seek to rebuild ties.

Relations between France and its former colony nosedived in 2024, when Chad ended a six-decade security arrangement with Paris by ordering French troops out.

Relations have recently been on the mend, with President Emmanuel Macron hosting Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno for talks in mid-October.

"There has been a resumption of cooperation with Chad, in full respect of Chad's sovereignty," Xavier Rival, spokesman for the French chief of defence staff, told reporters.

He said the French armed forces would help develop "the capabilities of the Chadian air force."

Rival said that two French Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a French CASA transport aircraft will "make a technical stopover in Chad very soon, a short visit that will also provide an opportunity to conduct training activities."

The stopover will take place as part of a joint military exercise involving the armed forces of Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, and France in November, he said.

During Deby's visit in October France and Chad signed a declaration of intent to structure their defence cooperation "on a renewed basis."

According to the Elysee, security cooperation was restored at the beginning of the year, notably for military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing.