Jérémie Labarre, the newly appointed French Foreign Ministry's Director for Central Africa, met with Chad's Ambassador to Paris, Ahmad Makaila. The parties discussed the implementation of joint infrastructure projects, according to a statement from the Chadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Labarre confirmed France's commitment to supporting infrastructure projects in the African nation. One example of bilateral cooperation is the renovation of the Hassan Djamous Airport in N'Djamena, which is being carried out with funding from the French Development Agency (AFD) and a credit line provided by Paris. The work is being executed by the French company RAZEL.
"This visit marks an important milestone in the dialogue between the two countries and paves the way for further strengthening cooperation," the communiqué stated.
The diplomats also addressed issues of regional security in the context of the Sudanese refugee crisis in eastern Chad.
In November 2024, Chad terminated its military cooperation agreement with its former colonial power, leading to the complete withdrawal of French troops from the African country by the end of January 2025. President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno described the decision as a "sovereign act" and labeled the previous agreement as "obsolete."
Alexander Kholodov
