France has completed the transfer of its second military base in Chad, heralding the final phase of its troop withdrawal from the country.
“Today… marks the handover of the Abéché base,” Defence Minister Issaka Malloua Djamouss said during an official ceremony on Saturday.
He described the event as important step “leading to the final and total withdrawal of this army in our country.”
He stressed that the January 31 deadline for France’s departure was “imperative,” “irreversible,” and “non-negotiable.”
In a ceremony held Saturday, the base in Abéché, located in eastern Chad, was handed over to Chadian authorities.
The event was attended by Defence Minister Issaka Malloua Djamouss, according to AFP.
The last French soldiers left Niger earlier this month, with Paris taking the unusual step of closing its embassy in Niamey as well.
Moreover, the troop withdrawal follows a pullout from Burkina Faso earlier this year and from Mali in 2022, following coups in all three countries condemned by France, the former colonial power and amid rising anti-French sentiment.
Around 100 French soldiers left the Abéché base on Saturday, following the departure of equipment convoys the day before. This marks the second base transfer after the Faya base in northern Chad was handed over in December.
French troops have been present in Chad since its independence in 1960, providing critical military training and air support, particularly in thwarting rebel movements attempting to seize power. At its peak, France maintained 1,000 personnel in Chad, making it the last Sahel nation to host French troops after similar withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
“Partnerships evolve, but the friendship remains between our two nations, as does the solidarity between two sovereign nations that will continue to move forward side by side as they always have,” said Fabien Talon, a representative of the French embassy, during the ceremony.
Chad, one of the world’s poorest nations, has been a key component of France’s military strategy in the Sahel. However, like other Sahel nations, Chad’s leadership has sought to strengthen ties with Russia. Discussions between the two countries have focused on economic cooperation, although no major agreements have been finalized.