International Community Reacts to Death of Chadian President

President Idriss Deby of Chad is sworn in for another term as president in 2016. (Flickr)

Officials announced Chadian President Idriss Deby’s death on Tuesday at the hands of the country’s military, stunning Chad and opening a power vacuum in a country with a long history of unrest. Chad has long served as an important regional power and a close ally to the U.S. and other Western countries in their fight against terrorism. Deby’s death may upend these relationships and could lead to increased instability in a country long rocked by uprisings and insurgencies. 

Officials quickly announced that his son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, would take over as interim president until the next election. The military has also dissolved the current government and the national assembly, the heads of which should have become President following Deby’s death under the Chadian Constitution. 

In a televised statement, army spokesman Azem Bermandoa Agouna said, “The president of the republic, head of state, supreme chief of the army, Idriss Deby Itno, just drew his last breath while defending the nation’s integrity on the battlefield.” There remains a large amount of uncertainty surrounding the exact circumstances of how Deby died; however, pundits believe that he succumbed to injuries sustained while leading troops against a rebel group in Northern Chad.

Under Deby’s leadership, Chad maintained a close relationship with the United States and France, both of whom intervened in 2019 to ensure that Deby’s government remained in power when threatened by rebel military groups. 

The French government expressed dismay at the news of Deby’s death, calling him a “brave friend” and saying that “Chad has lost a great soldier and a president who worked tirelessly for the security of the country and the stability of the region for three decades.” The French government has also signaled their strong support for Deby’s son. French President Emanual Macron recently spoke at Deby’s funeral, pledging France’s “unwavering friendship” to the country on Twitter. 

The United States, meanwhile, offered its condolences, adding that it supports “a peaceful transition of power in accordance with Chadian constitution.” Such a transition currently seems unlikely, with the capital, N’Djamena, currently “on edge,” a state of affairs not helped by the illegal nature of  General Mahamat Idriss Deby’s nomination as interim president. 

Nathanial Powell, an expert on the region, described the situation as “a coup,” saying that the military’s decision “is signaling to Chadians but also the international community that there is an absolute commitment to regime continuity.” This commitment, in his view, “sends a very strong message to France and to Chad’s other international partners that they can expect continuity.”