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  • Against Refugees, Against Russia

    Berlin seeks to gain influence in Chad, which has long been exclusively dominated by Paris, with the objective of stopping the flow of refugees and rolling back Russian influence which is increasing in a growing number of countries of the Sahel.

    N’DJAMENA/BERLIN (own report) – Preventive refugee defense and the West’s major power struggle against Russia is inducing the German government to make new efforts to gain influence in Chad. Germany’s Development Minister Svenja Schulze left last Monday for that African country, harboring around 1.2 million refugees – mainly from Sudan. To prevent them from continuing their journey toward Europe, Schulze seeks to provide them with opportunities “for establishing a new livelihood” in Chad. “Chad did not build fences, but showed solidarity with the refugees,” praised the minister. Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world, and its east, where most of the refugees are located, is one of its poorest regions. Berlin is also seeking to gain influence in that country, because the government in N’Djamena – like a large number of other Sahel governments – is beginning to cooperate more closely with Russia. France, the traditionally dominant former colonial power in Chad, is now also facing growing pressure. Germany offers itself as an alternative cooperation partner for N’Djamena – like Hungary, which is expanding its development activities and seeking to send military to that country. Read more

  • The Next Setback in the Sahel

    Chad accuses German ambassador of fomenting tensions within the country and expels him. German diplomacy is thus embroiled in crisis in yet another Sahel country.

    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