Chad: A national unity government in the ‘next few days’?

By Jeune Afrique

Posted on October 11, 2022 10:49

 Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno during his inauguration as transitional president in N’Djamena, 10 October 2022.  ©DENIS SASSOU GUEIPEUR /AFP
Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno during his inauguration as transitional president in N’Djamena, 10 October 2022. ©DENIS SASSOU GUEIPEUR /AFP

During his 10 October inauguration as president of the transition, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno announced the forthcoming formation of a national unity government.

The Dialogue national inclusif et souverain – DNIS – (Inclusive and Sovereign National Dialogue), which opened on 20 August after several postponements and wrapped up in N’Djamena 8 October, extended the transition to “free and democratic” elections within two years. It also endorsed the possibility of a run by Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.

‘Second phase’

During this “second phase”, the future government, whose composition is to be announced soon, “will work body and soul to ensure that nothing can deviate from the will of the Chadian people”, said Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, adding that “elections will be organised in transparency and serenity to allow Chadians to end the transition and ensure the return to constitutional order”.

In the meantime, the Chadian presidency announced on 10 October the appointment of Gali Ngothe Gatta as Secretary General, with the rank of Minister of State.

A former adviser to Hissène Habré who became an opponent under the presidency of Idriss Déby Itno, it was he who was chosen to lead the dialogue.

This second inauguration as president of the transition took place in the presence of the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and several ministers from West and Central Africa (Niger, Central African Republic, DRC), as well as French and European Union ambassadors. [“EU ambassadors” a bit vague?]

The young 38-year-old general had already been declared president of the republic and head of a transitional military council (now dissolved) of 15 generals, on 20 April 2021, the day the army announced his father Idriss Déby Itno had been killed at the front in the fight against rebels.

With AFP

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