Source : Sahel weather February 2025

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After the legislative elections, in which the ruling Mouvement patriotique du salut (MPS) won an absolute majority of seats in Parliament, the party led by President Mahamat Déby won another landslide in the senatorial elections. According to the provisional senatorial results published on February 25 by the Agence nationale de gestion des élections (ANGE), the MPS won 45 of the 46 elective seats. The remaining seat went to the president of the Rassemblement national des démocrates tchadiens (RNDT-Le Réveil), Pahimi Padacké Albert, a presidential candidate in May 2024. In doing so, Prime Minister Allamaye Halina, who was reappointed after resigning, unveiled a new government. Among the most significant changes, Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul replaces Abderaman Koulamallah, former head of diplomacy and government spokesman, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition, Aziz Mahamat, recently appointed Secretary General of the MPS, leaves the Ministry of Infrastructure. In addition, Youssouf Tom, formerly Controller General of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, has been appointed to head the Ministry of Justice.

At the same time, even if the terrorist attacks seem to be taking a relative breather, communities living in the affected areas continue to face the multi-dimensional repercussions of the security crisis on a daily basis. These include the no less important issue of community health. With this in mind, the Ministry of Public Health and Prevention organized the first national forum on community health from February 11 to 14 in N'Djamena, under the theme "Revitalizing community health in Chad: challenges and prospects". The forum provided an opportunity for public health players to discuss the challenges and identify possible solutions for improving health infrastructures and guaranteeing equitable access to care, particularly in rural and remote areas. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the east of the country continues unabated. In a report published on February 3, Unicef states that the humanitarian situation has particularly worsened in 2024 due to the massive influx of Sudanese refugees, epidemics and food insecurity. According to the document, since April 2023, over 716,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to Chad, in addition to 146,871 Chadian returnees, adding to the 410,000 refugees already in the area.

Yaya Dillo case, one year without an answer

On February 28, 2024, the opponent and cousin of President Mahamat Déby Itno, Yaya Dillo of the Parti socialiste sans frontière (PSF), lost his life during an assault by the Chadian army on the headquarters of his party, the Parti socialiste sans frontière (PSF). Officially, he was accused of having ordered the assassination of the President of the Supreme Court. His camp immediately put forward the theory of a political "assassination". A year later, the investigation announced by the government has yet to produce any conclusive evidence. PSF activists have two main demands: clarification of the circumstances surrounding Yaya Dillo's death, and the release of the party's secretary general, Gam Robert, who has been held for six months. "Concerning the investigation announced by the military government into his assassination, to date it has not been followed up. It's a misleading statement, designed to dull the conscience of those fighting for justice for this emblematic figure", Allifa Youssouf Mahamat, general coordinator of the PSF in the diaspora, told RFI. The Chadian authorities are content to assure us that justice is taking its course and that a commission of inquiry is being prepared.

What's more, following France's departure, several hundred former employees of French military bases now find themselves in a precarious situation. In Chad, a total of 402 former workers from the military bases N'Djamena, Abéché and Faya are criticizing the poor payment of their social rights and the lack of accompanying measures following the departure of the French army. At a general assembly held on February 3, these ex-employees of the French bases' health and maintenance services called on the Chadian authorities to provide them with financial support and assistance for professional reintegration.