Chad Opens Sovereign National Dialogue

A sovereign national dialogue began in Chad on August 24, 2022. Civil society organisations are among the approximately 1,400 participants. They have already taken steps to constantly monitor the dialogue, in order to make sure their proposals are taken into consideration by the transition.

The military authorities have pledged to complete the transition by October 2023 – a deadline that the network of civil society organisations thought unrealistic if a truly constructive dialogue is to be held. They support an extension as long as it is backed by a general consensus.

Why a national dialogue now?

Chad is in a phase of transition due to the unexpected death of long-time president Idriss Déby Itno in April 2021.

His death resulted in the politico-military movement Front pour l’Alternance et la Concorde au Tchad (FACT) advancing towards N’Djamena.

The Conseil Militaire de Transition under the leadership of late Déby’s son Mahamat unconstitutionally took over power immediately.

Under pressure from the former colonial power and now ally France as well as the AU, the Conseil Militaire de Transition agreed to a transition period of 18 months.

The agreement was that during this period, a national inclusive dialogue would be held, a new constitution drafted and elections organised.

But before the dialogue could take place, a peace agreement was needed with the various politico-military movements that had repeatedly threatened Déby’s authoritarian rule. These movements are led by political opponents, former profiteers of his regime, or even disgraced family or members of his own ethnic group.

As a result a pre-dialogue took place in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

After five months of negotiations between representatives of more than 50 movements and the Chadian government, a peace agreement was finally signed on 8 August 2022.

The Doha peace agreement is aimed at ensuring a ceasefire between the transition government and the movements.

The government promised them security on their return to Chad, amnesty for their fighters and the restitution of their confiscated properties. The agreement foresees a disarmament programme.

For their part the movements pledged not to recruit new fighters.

It all sounds fine, but there are serious shortcomings.