Chad's President Mahamat Idriss Déby began a 48-hour official visit to Russia on Tuesday, January 23, during which he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. Discussions will focus on bilateral cooperation between the two countries and will also address crucial regional issues.

Among the sectors of cooperation to be strengthened, the Chadian presidency highlights agriculture and the mining sector, emphasized by the presence of Mines Minister Abdelkerim Mahamat Abdelkerim, who is accompanying the president on this visit. Foreign Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif is also part of the delegation, having represented Chad at the Russia-Africa Summit in July 2023 in Saint Petersburg.

The Chadian Foreign Minister recently received the Russian ambassador in Ndjamena on January 11, bearing a "message": Vladimir Putin's formal invitation to his counterpart Mahamat Idriss Déby.

The international and regional dimension will be at the heart of the discussions, notably due to Russia's key role in Chad's border conflicts, especially with Sudan, but also in Libya and the Central African Republic. Russia has recently strengthened its presence in the Sahel by hosting the Prime Minister of the transitional government of Niger.

This visit comes at a time when Chad is seeking to diversify its partnerships with other nations, as evidenced by the recent visit of the Hungarian Foreign Minister to Ndjamena. Budapest is considering deploying several hundred soldiers to the country.

Before his departure on January 22, Minister Mahamat Saleh Annadif also held discussions with French military officials to discuss the "revitalization of cooperation between the two countries."

CREDIT: RFI

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