By Lisa Nyambura
Chad, a long-standing ally of France, is increasingly strengthening ties with Russia, a move that is unsettling its traditional Western partners.
President Mahamat Déby visited Russian President Vladimir Putin in January, while Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov followed up with a visit to Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, in June.
Although there has been talk of a potential military partnership, current efforts have focused on cultural cooperation, including the recent opening of a Russian cultural center in Chad.
However, tensions arose when a “sociologist” linked to Russia’s Wagner Group was detained in N’Djamena, though later released.
Chad’s growing relationship with Russia alarms France and the US, particularly as Russia’s influence expands in Sahelian nations.
In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, military regimes have expelled Western forces, opting for Russian military support.
Any similar shift in Chad, home to key French and US military bases, would be a significant blow to Western interests.
While Chad remains a stable ally, President Déby’s balancing act with Moscow underscores his leverage in dealings with Washington and Paris.
Both countries hope that Chad will see Russia as a diplomatic tool rather than a replacement for its Western partners.