BERLIN/N’DJAMENA (Own report) – By expelling the German ambassador, Chad is the next Sahel country heading for confrontation with EU states. According to reports, the government in N’Djamena accuses the German ambassador of fomenting tensions with comments that interfere in Chad’s internal affairs. Berlin is defending its diplomat and praises his activities as “exemplary,” and has ordered, in a tit-for-tat response, Chad’s ambassador in Berlin to leave the country. The relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Chad have been considered comparably unimpressive: The country is part of Françafrique, France’s direct sphere influence in its former colonies, over which, it has long maintained neocolonial control, whereas first Bonn, and later Berlin, have never succeeded in establishing a strong influence of their own. The escalation of the dispute with N’Djamena follows other severe setbacks for Germany, France and the EU in Mali and Burkina Faso, which have forced the withdrawal of French troops operating on their territories. The EU powers’ influence in the Sahel is beginning to wane. Read more