Chad ditches France as Türkiye expands influence in Africa

African nations are increasingly distancing themselves from their colonial past. After France withdrew its forces from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, Senegal announced the closure of its French military base, and now Chad has ended its military cooperation with France, further diminishing the former colonial power’s influence in the region.

Following the termination of its military agreement with Chad, France has begun evacuating its forces from the Faya Military Base. The withdrawal of 1,000 French troops will be completed by Jan. 31. Currently, France maintains permanent military bases in Djibouti, Chad, Gabon, Ivory Coast, and Senegal, with the largest presence in Djibouti (1,500 soldiers), followed by Chad (1,000), Ivory Coast (600), and smaller numbers in Gabon and Senegal (350 each).

As France reduces its military footprint in Africa, Türkiye is expanding its influence. In the wake of ending ties with France, Chad is now strengthening its relationship with Türkiye. Over the past five to six years, Türkiye has provided substantial support to Chad, particularly in counterterrorism, military training, and defense capacity building.

The two countries have signed several agreements in the military and defense sectors. Chad has also acquired advanced military equipment from Türkiye, including the Hurkus-C light attack aircraft, Anka-S drones, MAM-L smart munitions, and Cirit laser-guided missiles.

Since 2003, Türkiye has opened numerous embassies across Africa and has implemented various agreements to strengthen its diplomatic and economic ties with the continent. Türkiye now has embassies in 44 African countries, solidifying its influence through diplomacy and strategic cooperation.