Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Chadian leader Mahamat Idriss Deby at the Kremlin on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, signaling a diplomatic outreach to a country that had previously adhered to a pro-Western stance in Africa’s Sahel region. This move by Russia is part of a broader strategy to diminish the influence of former colonial power France in West Africa and the Sahel and establish connections with nations experiencing political turbulence, marked by a series of coups since 2020.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby assumed office in 2021 following a coup shortly after the death of his father, long-serving President Idriss Deby. While the junta initially pledged an 18-month transition to elections, the timeline was later extended to October of the present year.
In a brief televised statement, Putin expressed satisfaction with Deby’s efforts in stabilizing Chad and pledged Russian assistance. According to a Kremlin transcript, Putin highlighted “great opportunities to develop our bilateral ties” and announced an increase in the quota for Chadian students studying at Russian universities.
This meeting follows a recent visit to Moscow by the Prime Minister of Niger, another country governed by a junta since a 2023 coup. Russia has been actively engaging with Niger since the coup that ousted a pro-Western government.
In the wake of coups in Niger and Burkina Faso, these nations have shifted allegiance from France to Russia. While Chad had traditionally been considered a stronghold of French influence in Africa, recent diplomatic activities indicate a changing dynamic.
Russian influence in various African countries, including Mali and the Central African Republic, was initially facilitated by the Wagner Group, a mercenary army led by the late businessman and former Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin. Since Prigozhin’s death, Moscow has moved to integrate Wagner’s operations into its formal state structures, consolidating control over the network in Africa.
(Reuters)
