CHAD: N’Djamena – Peace agreement signed between junta and several rebel groups in Doha

Accord signed in the Qatari capital Doha to kick-off talks aimed at paving the way for a presidential election. Yet, the main rebel group refuses to take part.

Chad’s military junta signed a peace agreement with over 40 rebel factions on Monday, August 8, 2022, at peace talks in Doha, Qatar. Based on the agreement signed in the Qatari capital, talks to pave the way for a presidential election are set to kick off on August 20.

While the agreement is supposed to facilitate the launch of a national reconciliation dialogue, the country’s main rebel group (FACT) did not sign it. Indeed, while Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, the head of the ruling junta, exceptionally agreed to travel to Doha for the signing of the agreement, Mahamat Mahdi Ali, the head of the Front pour l’alternance et la concorde au Tchad (FACT), refused to make the trip and take part in the negotiations. Mahamat Mahdi Ali justified the non-signing of this agreement based on the lack of compliance with certain demands of his group, including the release of certain FACT members detained by the government in N’Djamena. In fact, in a statement released in Doha before the agreement was signed, FACT declared that it “rejects the accord which will be put to signatories on Monday”.

The leadership of the main rebel group highlighted that the participants in the national dialogue would not be treated equally based on the actual situation. While still insisting on the release of rebel prisoners from government prisons, FACT leadership demanded the setting of a new committee to organize the talks in order to achieve a good agreement.

As a reminder, FACT is the main rebel group behind the attack that led to the death of Chadian President and Marshal Idriss Déby Itno in April 2021. It is estimated to have nearly 2,000 fighters as well as sophisticated military arsenal. FACT is therefore a major player in the political and security crisis in Chad, and its absence from the crisis resolution process could have a significant impact.

Further talks are expected in the near future to resolve the crisis in Chad.