Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby visits Niger amid shifting regional dynamics
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno arrived in Niamey on Wednesday for a working visit, underscoring growing bilateral cooperation between the two Sahelian neighbors.
The trip comes as both nations navigate complex security challenges and regional realignments following Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS earlier this year.
Chad’s embassy mobilized its diaspora community to welcome the president, with Ambassador Abdoulaye Abdelkerim Abbo Grou organizing a procession from the Koira-Kano chancellery to Diori Hamani International Airport.
The carefully orchestrated reception highlights the diplomatic importance both nations attach to the visit.
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Since terminating its military agreements with France in November 2024, Chad remains one of only two active members (alongside Mauritania) in the weakened G5 Sahel framework, after Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger’s withdrawal.
President Déby has positioned himself as a regional mediator, having engaged Niger’s CNSP leader General Abdourahamane Tiani multiple times since the July 2023 coup; including during his first mediation attempt just days after the takeover.
The neighbors share deep historical ties, with Chad maintaining consistent dialogue even as Niger recalibrates its alliances.
A high-level Chadian delegation visited Niamey in June 2024, followed by Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine’s reciprocal trip to N’Djamena.
Analysts view the latest visit of Mahamat Idriss Déby as reinforcing this strategic partnership, particularly as Niger seeks new security arrangements following its departure from traditional regional blocs.
With jihadist threats persisting in the Lake Chad basin, the meeting likely addressed coordinated counterterrorism strategies while advancing economic cooperation between the two landlocked nations.
Fayçal BADIE
