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 Chad |  United States |
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Chad–United States relations are the international relations betweenChad and theUnited States.
Chad and the United States established diplomatic relations on August 11, 1960.
During the 1960s and 1970s, the United States and Chad had maintained fairly low-level economic ties, including investment guarantees and project aid, such asPeace Corps involvement.[1] Drought in the early 1970s brought United States food and agriculture aid to remote areas, including grain supplies, animal health services, and technical assistance.[1] Other economic agreements included road building in the Lake Chad area and rural community development.[1]
In a declassified record of a 1973 conversation betweenU.S. PresidentRichard Nixon,Secretary of StateJames R. Schlesinger, and theChairman of the Joint Chiefs of StaffAdmiralThomas H. Moorer, Nixon referenced the Prime Minister of Chad when explaining how he perceived the relationship between strength and importance: "But without adequate strength, our stance in the world wouldn't matter. The Prime Minister of Chad doesn't matter; we treat them nice, but none of them matter."[2]
Although Chad was part of France's sphere of influence, it also provided a low level of military assistance until 1977.[1] PresidentFélix Malloum's 1978 request for increased military aid to fight theFROLINAT insurgency coincided with a marked increase in Soviet activity in Africa, especially in Ethiopia, and increased Soviet arms shipments to Libya.[1] United States relations with African states were redefined in accordance with the new strategic value assigned to African allies, and United States foreign policy shifted accordingly.[1] Thus, in the 1980s United States interest and involvement in Chad increased.[1]
Chad became a focus of American policy regarding North Africa when Secretary of StateAlexander Haig sought new ways to undermine theMuammar Gaddafi regime, which was destabilizing much of the region from its base in neighboring Libya. A plan was developed to attack Libya's southern front through Chad at a time when much of the northern half of Chad was occupied by Libyan troops. The Central intelligence Agency provided arms for the anti-Qaddafi faction led byHissène Habré. The plan was successful, Qaddafi withdrew his troops.[citation needed] Habré seized control of the government of Chad in 1982, and received enthusiastic military and financial support from Washington.[1] However, by 1988 American advisers had begun to stress the need to reconcile warring factions and pacify rebel groups within Chad.[1] United States support to Chad included several economic and military aid agreements, including training programs to improve the effectiveness of Habré's administration and to bolster public confidence in the government and intelligence-sharing to assist in countering Libyan forces in 1987.[1][3]
The United States enjoyed cordial relations with the government ofIdriss Déby.[4] Chad has proved a valuable partner in the globalwar on terror, and in providing shelter to 200,000refugees of Sudan'sDarfur crisis along its eastern border.[4][5]
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Before permanently closing its Chad mission in 1995 because of declining funds and security concerns, USAID's development program in Chad concentrated on the agricultural, health, and infrastructure sectors.[4] It also included projects in road repair and maintenance, maternal and child health, famine early warning systems, andagricultural marketing.[4] A number of American voluntary agencies (notablyAfricare andVITA) continue to operate in Chad.[4] Peace Corps has traditionally had a large presence in Chad, with volunteers arriving during the postwar period in September 1987, then withdrawing in 1998.[4] Peace Corps operations resumed in September 2003, with a group of 20 new volunteers.[4] The second class of 17 volunteers arrived in September 2 to the United States, citing the risk of terrorism.[6][7] Regional experts including J004.[4] Both groups focused on teaching English; expansion into other areas was planned for 2005.[4] Currently the Peace Corps presence in Chad is inactive.[4]
In April 2007,Deputy Secretary of StateJohn Negroponte visited Chad in light of theWar in Darfur.[8]
Chad is a participant in theTrans-Saharan Counterterrorism Initiative and cooperates with theUnited States military in fightingal-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (and affiliated) insurgents.
In April 2024, Chad asked the United States to stop using an air force base located in N'Djamena.[9]
On September 24, 2017,US PresidentDonald Trump announced atravel ban that restricted the travel of the citizens of Chad.[10] Peter Pham of theAtlantic Council, Monde Muyangwa of theWoodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and John Campbell of theCouncil on Foreign Relations expressed concern that Chad could reduce its defense and counter-terrorism cooperation with the United States in response.[11] On April 10, 2018, the US Government issued a proclamation lifting the travel restrictions on Chad.[12][13][14]
On June 4, 2025, President Donald Trump, in hissecond administration, announced a travel ban that restricted the travel of the citizens of Chad to the United States as part of aproclamation banning 11 other nations.[15][16][17] In response to the ban, on the next day,PresidentMahamat Idriss Déby Itno announced that Chad is suspending all visas awarded to U.S. citizens as a retaliatory measure against the travel ban.[18][19]
TheAmerican International School of N'Djamena was in the Chadian capital until closing in 2008.
The U.S. embassy inN'Djamena, established at Chadian independence in 1960, was closed from the onset of the heavy fighting in the city in 1980 until the withdrawal of theLibyan forces at the end of 1981.[4] It was reopened in January 1982.[4] TheU.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and theU.S. Information Service (USIS) offices resumed activities in Chad in September 1983.[4]
In 2008, the government of Chad purchased the building hosting it's embassy. After a four-month renovation in 2009, the embassy employees moved from their previous location at 2002 R Street, NW building,[20] into the new facility.
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