Chad has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of displaying contempt after he remarked that African leaders had "forgotten to say thank you" to France for its assistance in combating militant insurgencies.

Chad's Foreign Affairs Minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, accused French President Emmanuel Macron of showing contempt towards Africa after the French leader remarked that African leaders had "forgotten to say thank you" for France’s role in combating militant insurgencies in the Sahel. Koulamallah's statement, broadcast on state television, expressed the Republic of Chad's "deep concern" regarding Macron's comments, which he described as reflecting a "contemptuous attitude" towards Africa and Africans.

While Koulamallah clarified that Chad had "no problem" with France, he emphasized that French leaders needed to learn to respect Africans. He reminded the French government of Africa's pivotal role, particularly Chad's, in the liberation of France during the two world wars, a contribution that he claimed France had "never truly recognised."

Koulamallah also addressed the issue of France’s involvement in Chad, stating that France's contribution to the country over its prolonged presence had largely served its own strategic interests, without making a significant and lasting impact on the development of the Chadian people.

In a significant move at the end of November, Chad, which had been hosting the last of France's military bases in the Sahel, ended its defense and security agreements with France, deeming them "obsolete." Around 1,000 French military personnel were stationed in Chad, and their withdrawal is now underway.

Macron's comments were made during a speech to France's diplomatic corps on Monday. In his address, Macron justified France’s military interventions, stating that no country in the Sahel would have remained a sovereign nation without France's intervention. However, with military regimes hostile to France now in control of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, France is reassessing its military presence in the region. Additionally, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire have requested that France vacate its military bases from their territories.