The discreet meeting between French President Macron and his Chadian counterpart Mahamat Déby
Chadian transitional president Mahamat Idriss Déby alongside Emmanuel Macron during Idriss Déby Itno's funeral in Ndjamena on April 23, 2021. AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
This is the second meeting between the two men, the first at the Élysée.
Mahamat Idriss Déby is in Paris and he was received this Monday, July 5, 2021 in the morning by French President Emmanuel Macron.
An interview to prepare for the next G5 Sahel summit, which was done in complete discretion.
Publicity
Read more
A closed-door visit
where the press was not allowed to access the Elysee courtyard this Monday morning.
Nothing filtered out on this interview, the presidential palace just announces the upcoming release of a joint press release.
Why such discretion? We know that the relationship between Paris and Ndjamena has caused much ink to flow in recent weeks. In particular, this little sentence pronounced by Emmanuel Macron on April 23 at Idriss Déby's funeral: “
France will never let anyone, neither today nor tomorrow, call into question the stability and integrity of Chad
. »A small sentence perceived as a support or even a kind of dubbing
to Idriss Déby's son
.
Faced with criticism and anti-French demonstrations, Emmanuel Macron will be forced four days later to make this point: “
I am for a peaceful, democratic, inclusive transition, I am not for a succession plan
.
The French president has always pleaded for the transition not to exceed 18 months.
Chadian domestic politics, with the preparations for the inclusive national dialogue and ultimately the next elections, it was certainly discussed this morning between the two men, but the object of this meeting was above all the preparation of the next G5 summit. Sahel.
A summit which could, according to our information, be held very quickly, perhaps even this Friday, July 9, according to Chadian and French sources.
The occasion undoubtedly for Paris to specify the contours of its future engagement in the region one month after the announcement of the gradual end of Operation Barkhane.
What is already recorded is the arrival that day, July 9, of Mohamed Bazoum at the Elysee.
The Nigerien president will be received by his French counterpart, information confirmed this afternoon by the Nigerien presidency.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
France
Chad
G5 Sahel
Mahamat Idriss Deby
Emmanuel Macron