Chad President Threatens to Pull Troops

Chad President, Idriss Deby Itno, has threatened to pull his country’s troops from various peacekeeping missions in Africa, due to a lack of financial support from the international community.

Chad has been suffering a financial crisis for years. The situation has worsened in recent years, due to the drop in global oil prices. Oil is Chad’s main source of revenue.

Speaking to French reporters, President Itno said that, without financial aid, he will have no choice but to order his troops to withdraw.

“We have not at all been supported on the financial, economic side…if nothing is done, if that goes on, Chad will be obliged to withdraw…we can’t keep being everywhere, in Niger, in Cameroon and in Mali…all that is excessively expensive [sic],” he said.

Currently, Chad is the third largest contributor of troops to the MINUSMA operation in Mali, with approximately 1390 soldiers. The operation was established by the United Nations in 2013 to stabilise the country following the 2012 rebellion.

Besides sending troops to Mali, Chad has also sent more than 2000 troops to Niger, Nigeria and Cameroon, to help the country fight the insurgency of terrorist group, Boko Haram.