Guest
#africanews #russia #chad Who would have thought that there would come a day when Chad would begin to move away from France and seek diplomatic relations with Russia, one of the greatest rivals of the West? It's particularly surprising because France and other countries in the West have maintained that Chad remains a key Western ally in Africa amidst the growing anti-french and anti-western sentiments that are spreading across the continent. In addition, the Chadian Presidency beginning with late President Idriss Deby who ruled Chad for 38 years, has not shied away from its position as an important ally of France and has used France's military forces time and time again to ensure its continued rule. So, how come, despite the assurance that Chad has the backing of France and countries of the West such as the USA, Chad’s President Mahamat Deby flew to Moscow on January 24th for an exclusive meeting with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin? Why is Chad seeking diplomatic relations with Russia amidst pressure from the West and what does it mean for France? Let's find out in this video. Since its Independence, Chad has been the lynchpin of France's geopolitical strategy in central Africa. Its strategic location has made it the perfect place for France to monitor its former colonies which are important to its status as one of the top-developed countries in the world. Chad has been a privileged arena for French military interventions and acts as a barometer of French commitment to its African clients. For instance, in the 60s and 70s, France intervened in support of Chadian government forces that were battling against the Frolinat. In 1982 Hissene Habré came to power with French support. When Idriss Deby Overthrew Habre to take over power, France did not interfere, instead, they supported him and continued to support him for 38 years until his death. France was also responsible for helping his son who is now the current president of Chad to take over power through a military coup after the death of his father. So, looking through the history of Chad since its independence, one constant thing is France's presence and its interventions. The reason for this is that France attaches a great deal of importance to Chad because of its strategic location, from where it monitors the Sahel and Sahara region and dispatches troops for interventions throughout the region. Chad’s status as an important ally of France further increased after the wave of coups spread across the Sahel, hitting Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, and leading to the expulsion of French troops from these countries.
