Chadian Minister of Communications and government spokesperson, Gassim Cherif, publicly expressed his personal desire to see Chad join the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
He made these remarks during an appearance on the national television channel MRTV on Monday, May 13th.
Describing the AES as “a wonderful experience” that Ndjamena should “seriously consider,” Cherif stated, “I think it would be a good thing for Chad to join the Alliance of Sahel States.”
According to the government spokesperson, such a move would align with the transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno’s objective of restoring Chad’s sovereignty. “He initiated this process by breaking the defense agreements with Paris,” Cherif noted. He further emphasized the need to address other aspects related to national sovereignty, including the CFA franc, the economy, geostrategy, and the management of Chad’s resources by its own officials, calling for “uninhibited” discussions on these matters.
Cherif also advocated for the expansion of the AES, which currently comprises Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, to include other nations in the region, believing that this regional initiative warrants strengthening.
However, Minister Cherif was careful to clarify that his comments represented his personal opinion and did not constitute an official position of the Chadian government.
CA/te/Sf/fss/abj/APA