France announced on 29 October that two Mirage 2000 fighter jets and a CASA transport aircraft would make a short technical stopover in Chad “very soon”, with training activities intended to strengthen the Chadian air force. French military spokesman Colonel Xavier Rival described the visit as part of renewed cooperation against regional instability, undertaken with Chad’s agreement. No precise arrival date was announced.
The stopover is linked to the GEX exercise scheduled in Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon from 8 to 30 November. Its announced scope is a brief visit and training, rather than the restoration of a permanent French base.
The practical step follows a declaration of intent signed in Paris on 13 October. That framework covers training, expertise, defence industry and technology, with an emphasis on developing Chadian military capabilities. It is a declaration of intent, not a replacement defence treaty.
Chad broke its previous defence agreement with France on 28 November 2024. The permanent French deployment ended with the handover of the last base in N’Djamena on 30 January 2025—putting the newly announced visit about 21 months after the withdrawal.
The rapprochement comes amid a separate dispute with Niger. Niamey accuses Chad, with French support, of a 24 October drone strike at Emiloulou in Niger’s Agadez region that it says killed two civilians. Chad denies responsibility and has demanded material and technical evidence. Responsibility for that strike remains disputed, adding diplomatic sensitivity to the renewed French-Chadian military relationship.