France on Monday called on Chad to hold ‘without delay’ landmark national talks with opposition forces that have been postponed indefinitely in bid to restoring peace to the region.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the military government in N’Djamena had on Sunday announced that the start of the dialogue, set for May 10, had been called off sine die after preparatory talks dragged on in Doha with Qatar mediating.
In her response, France’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said; ‘France recalls its attachment to the holding, without possible delay, of a dialogue bringing together all the political and social forces of the Chadian nation in a climate favourable to the search for a consensus’.
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Paris ‘brings its support to the efforts made to this end by the Chadian authorities and parties with the backing of Qatar and Chad’s international partners,’ she added.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the landlocked African nation was thrown into serious turmoil after long-time leader Idriss Deby Itno died fighting rebels last April.
His son Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno seized control but promised free elections this year after a national dialogue originally billed for February.
Meanwhile, the leader of the military junta in Chad, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, had recently moved himself up to a higher rank in the military, from a lieutenant general to a general.
Africa Today News, New York learnt that the Chadian leader now wears five stars on his uniform and beret as he arrived at a venue outside the presidential palace in a five-star command car.
He previously had four stars, as a lieutenant general.
The presidency’s head of protocol sent a press release a few years back informing State institutions and the public of the changes.
The son of Chad’s late leader, Idriss Déby Itno, came to power after the death of his father in April. His father had been president since 1990.
Only his father had the rank of a five-star military general before his death.