FRANCE TO SEND FIGHTER JETS TO CHAD AS FORMER ALLIES REBUILD MILITARY TIES

France will send two Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a CASA transport aircraft to Chad for a short visit involving military training, as both countries work to rebuild defence ties. Relations deteriorated in 2024 when Chad ended a decades long security agreement and ordered French troops to leave. Following recent talks between Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, both countries have agreed to renew cooperation in training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing while respecting Chad’s sovereignty.

France will send two Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a CASA transport aircraft to Chad for a short stopover involving military training activities, in a sign of improving relations between the two countries following a major breakdown in their security partnership.
The French army announced the planned visit on Thursday, saying the aircraft would help support training and develop the capabilities of Chad’s air force. The stopover is expected to take place soon as part of preparations connected to a joint military exercise involving France, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon in November.
The announcement comes after years of military cooperation between France and Chad were disrupted in 2024, when the Chadian government ended a security arrangement that had lasted for approximately six decades and ordered French troops to leave the country.
Recent diplomatic engagements, however, have opened the way for renewed cooperation. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno in October, where both sides discussed rebuilding their defence relationship on new terms.

WHY FRANCE LOST ITS MILITARY POSITION IN CHAD

Chad was one of France’s longstanding military partners in Africa. For decades, French forces operated in the country and supported regional security efforts, particularly in the Sahel, where armed groups and extremist organisations have threatened several governments.
However, relations deteriorated as Chad reassessed its military partnerships and sought greater control over its security arrangements. In 2024, the government ended its defence agreement with France and required French troops to withdraw.
The decision reflected a wider shift in France’s relations with several former African colonies. In recent years, governments in parts of West and Central Africa have reviewed longstanding military agreements and questioned the continued presence of French troops.
For France, the loss of its military presence in Chad represented a significant change in its regional security position. Chad had been an important location for French operations in the Sahel and surrounding areas.
The planned aircraft stopover does not mean that France is restoring its former military presence. Instead, the announcement points to a limited form of cooperation focused on training and technical support.

NEW AGREEMENT SEEKS TO RESET DEFENCE COOPERATION

The planned visit follows renewed diplomatic engagement between Paris and N'Djamena, Chad’s capital.
During Deby’s visit to France in October, the two governments signed a declaration of intent to organise their defence cooperation on a renewed basis. The agreement is intended to provide a framework for future collaboration while respecting Chad’s sovereignty.
French defence spokesman Xavier Rival said cooperation had resumed in a manner that fully respected Chad’s independence and authority over its territory.
According to the French presidency, security cooperation restarted at the beginning of the year and has included military training, equipment supplies and intelligence sharing.
These areas can allow the two countries to cooperate without necessarily returning to the previous arrangement in which French forces maintained a substantial presence in Chad.
The emphasis on sovereignty is important because Chad’s decision to end the earlier agreement demonstrated its desire to exercise greater control over foreign military involvement.

HOW THE AIRCRAFT VISIT WILL SUPPORT CHAD’S MILITARY

The planned stopover will involve two French Mirage 2000 fighter jets and one CASA transport aircraft.
Mirage 2000 jets are military aircraft designed for missions including air defence and combat operations. A transport aircraft, by contrast, can carry personnel, equipment and supplies, making it useful for logistics and military support.
French officials said the visit would provide an opportunity to conduct training activities and help develop Chad’s air force capabilities.
Training can help military personnel improve operational procedures, coordination, technical knowledge and the ability to work with different aircraft systems. Cooperation may also expose Chadian personnel to equipment and practices used by foreign air forces.
However, the announcement does not specify the full training programme, the duration of the stopover or whether any additional equipment will be transferred during the visit.
The aircraft are expected to stop in Chad as part of a wider joint military exercise involving France, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon in November. The exact scope of the exercise and the extent of Chad’s participation were not detailed in the announcement.

FRANCE ADJUSTS ITS SECURITY PARTNERSHIPS IN AFRICA

The renewed engagement with Chad comes as France adapts its military and diplomatic relationships across Africa.
France has faced pressure to change the way it works with African governments following withdrawals of its troops from several countries and criticism of its historical influence in the region.
Rather than relying exclusively on permanent military deployments, cooperation can also involve training missions, intelligence exchanges, equipment support and joint exercises. These arrangements may allow countries to work together while maintaining greater national control over military decisions.
For Chad, cooperation with France could provide access to training and technical expertise while allowing its government to determine the terms of the relationship.
For France, maintaining ties with Chad could preserve channels for security dialogue and support its wider diplomatic engagement in Central and West Africa.
Nevertheless, the long term direction of the relationship will depend on whether both governments can sustain cooperation while respecting the conditions established by Chad.

WHAT THE RENEWED PARTNERSHIP COULD MEAN FOR REGIONAL SECURITY

Chad occupies an important position in Central Africa and the Sahel, regions affected by armed groups, cross-border insecurity and competing international partnerships.
Cooperation between Chad and France could contribute to military training and information sharing, potentially improving the ability of security forces to respond to certain threats. However, the planned stopover alone does not establish that France will return to its previous military role or that the two countries will adopt a broader joint security strategy.
The key question is whether the renewed relationship will develop into sustained cooperation or remain limited to specific training and technical activities.
For now, the planned aircraft visit represents a cautious step towards restoring ties after the breakdown of the previous defence arrangement. Both governments appear to be exploring a different model of cooperation, one that combines military assistance with an explicit recognition of Chad’s sovereignty.