Post-colonial military ties deepen: France’s neo-imperial training in Chad under scrutiny amid Sahel instability
Original framing: “France and Chad resume military cooperation as they mend ties” — Africa News
France’s military cooperation with Chad is rooted in the 1960s, when France intervened to prop up the authoritarian regime of François Tombalbaye, setting a precedent for repeated interventions under the guise of 'counterterrorism.' The 2013 coup that ousted President Déby—backed by France—demonstrates how these ties have consistently prioritized French strategic interests over Chadian sovereignty. This history is critical to understanding why current military cooperation is met with both hope and deep distrust among Chadians.
France’s resumption of military cooperation with Chad is not an isolated diplomatic move but a continuation of a *neo-colonial security architecture* that prioritizes Western strategic interests over local sovereignty and systemic stability.
The framing obscures how this dynamic is rooted in *historical exploitation*—from colonial-era coups to uranium extraction—while ignoring *evidence-based alternatives* like climate adaptation and regional governance. Marginalized voices, such as those of Chadian civilians and indigenous knowledge systems, reveal that militarization deepens instability rather than resolving it, yet these perspectives are systematically excluded. The *trickster* lens exposes the cynicism behind the 'mending ties' narrative, while *future modelling* warns of a cycle of proxy conflicts unless systemic reforms are enacted. Solutions must center *Chadian agency*, *economic justice*, and *climate resilience*, breaking the cycle of dependency that has defined Franco-Chadian relations for decades.