Chad's internal political crisis has resulted in coups, the formation of armed groups, and a vicious cycle feuling the conflict in Darfur.  What obstacles and opportunities do the Chadian and diaspora civil society groups face in resolving the crisis?

The political crisis plaguing Chad has generated several armed groups, resulted in a number of coup attempts, and is part of a vicious cycle that fuels the conflict in Darfur.  Recent agreements between the government and the armed opposition, the political opposition, and the government of Sudan have been neither implemented nor resulted in a reduction in tension. Key objectives of opposition groups, domestic civil society organizations, and diaspora groups are an inclusive dialogue with the government, respect for human rights, and the creation of conditions to ensure a free and fair election. The international community has dispatched limited peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, but many continue to call for a more robust response to the political crisis. What strategies are being employed by domestic and diaspora civil society organizations to resolve the political crisis? What challenges and opportunities do they face as they work toward peace in Chad? 

Speakers

  • Gilbert Maoundonodji, Association for the Promotion of Fundamental Liberties in Chad
  • Djimé Adoum, Independent Commission for an Inclusive Dialogue
  • Omer Ismail, ENOUGH Project
  • Dorina Bekoe, USIP, Moderator

Related Publications

At the Sahel’s Center, Tension Rises Over Chad’s Disputed Election

At the Sahel’s Center, Tension Rises Over Chad’s Disputed Election

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

A disputed presidential election in Chad last week is making few global headlines, but poses new risks to African and international efforts to reverse the Sahel region’s spreading instability, conflict and human displacement. Chad is centered in the world’s largest belt of military rule: six nations across Africa that have suffered armed coups since 2020. Among them, Chad is the first to hold elections to restore civilian rule. But a string of setbacks to a fully credible vote has yielded a contested result that risks further domestic conflict and a narrowing of popular legitimacy for the next government, led by the incumbent transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Deby.

Type: Analysis

Global Elections & Conflict

For Sahel Stability, U.S. Needs Broader, Coordinated Policy

For Sahel Stability, U.S. Needs Broader, Coordinated Policy

Thursday, March 21, 2024

As military coups and violent insurgencies have spread across Africa’s Sahel over the past decade, U.S. policy has professed to recognize and address their interconnections across the region, notably through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership. Yet this effort remains insufficient to meet the scale and complexity of the violence and the underlying failures of governance.

Type: Analysis

Violent Extremism

A Conversation with Chadian Prime Minister Succès Masra

A Conversation with Chadian Prime Minister Succès Masra

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Nearly three years into its transition process, Chad faces a pivotal milestone: the organization of presidential and local elections in 2024. Against a backdrop of regional turbulence and instability, the holding of credible and transparent elections in Chad will be a key test for democracy and durable peace. USIP spoke with Chad’s new Prime Minister Succès Masra on pathways to strengthen civic space and political participation ahead of Chad’s general elections and how Chad’s transition might inform other political transitions throughout Africa.

Type: Blog

Democracy & GovernancePeace Processes

Senior Study Group for the Sahel: Final Report and Recommendations

Senior Study Group for the Sahel: Final Report and Recommendations

Thursday, January 18, 2024

The United States has not traditionally viewed the Sahel as a region of vital interest, whether in terms of security or from an economic or business perspective. This has led to a pattern of reactive involvement shaped by the circumstances of specific events rather than proactive commitments. This pattern reveals the lack of a comprehensive strategy for the volatile Western Sahel region, which includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. In April 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the US government would advance the “U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability” in coastal West Africa by prioritizing a partnership with Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo.

Type: Report

Civilian-Military RelationsDemocracy & GovernancePeace ProcessesViolent Extremism

View All Publications