Some 2,000 people protested in capital N’Djamena 26 Nov against U.S. justice department’s accusations that President Déby involved in corruption. Judges mid-Nov ended three-week strike to demand election of High Council of the Judiciary and payment of allowances. Following arrest in Niger of three Chadian rebels early Oct, rebels’ lawyer 11 Nov said he would request protection for his clients from France, where two of them have refugee status.

Army completed withdrawal of its troops, begun late Sept, from Diffa region in south east Niger, where they had been operating against Boko Haram; govt said troops to be redeployed to Wour, Tibesti region in north as part of G5 Sahel joint force against Islamist militancy and trafficking. President Déby visited north early Oct, replacing civilian and military officials over security lapses. Eleven people reportedly killed 18 Oct in local conflict in Darasna, Salamat region in south east. Niger authorities captured three Chadian rebels of Conseil de commandement militaire pour le salut de la République 4 Oct and stated intention to hand them over to Chadian govt. French President Macron 9 Oct said France would in next two years offer resettlement to 10,000 refugees, of which 3,000 would be from Chad and Niger; French refugee agency (OFPRA) started first mission in Chad to identify eligible refugees late Oct.

At conference in Paris 7-8 Sept donors pledged estimated $20bn in support of national development program 2017-2021. France 12 Sept encouraged Chad to announce calendar for delayed legislative elections. Amnesty International 14 Sept reported govt increasingly using repressive laws and intelligence services to muzzle critics. President Déby did not attend summit in New York of Sahel G5 countries 18 Sept reportedly to express discontent at international community’s slowness to fund G5 force to counter jihadism in region. Déby also remained absent from UN General Assembly mid-late Sept. Libya 7 Sept reportedly closed its borders with Chad and Niger for three months. U.S. 24 Sept included Chad in new ban on travel to U.S., citing country’s failure to share public-safety and terrorism related information.

Security forces 5 Aug prevented some twenty opposition leaders from visiting Laoukein Médard, imprisoned 2016 presidential candidate and former mayor of second largest city Moundou, arrested mid-July; following altercation, security forces arrested Mahamat Adoum, president of opposition National Republican Party, released him next day. Govt 23 Aug accused Qatar of trying to destabilise Chad via Libya, gave Qatari diplomats ten days to leave country; in return, Qatar 24 August asked Chadians diplomats to leave Doha. President Déby late Aug attended summit in Paris with leaders of France, Germany, Niger, Spain, Italy, Libya and EU foreign policy chief Mogherini to discuss migrations issues; signed joint statement agreeing on global approach to deal with migration and asylum.

Authorities arrested Laoukein Médard, 2016 presidential candidate and mayor of second largest city Moundou in south 2012-June 2017, for embezzlement 13 July; opposition denounced arrest as political. President Déby attended summit of Sahel G5 (Mali, Niger, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania) 2 July in Bamako at which member states each pledged €10mn to finance joint military force to counter jihadism, EU repeated pledge of €50mn and France pledged €8mn and operational and technical assistance; pledges still fall short of estimated €385mn required.

Despite civil society pressure, opposition MPs refused to resign at end of parliament’s mandate 21 June (extended beyond constitutional end in June 2015) and tacitly agreed to renew mandate. Authorities 7 June briefly detained representatives of some 1,400 soldiers protesting to demand payment of salary and bonus arrears after deployment in UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Security forces 14 June reportedly arrested newspaper director Mbairaga Malachie in N’Djamena and detained him incommunicado. Military said clashes with Boko Haram insurgents on Lake Chad islands 24-25 June left eight soldiers and 162 insurgents dead. African Union 3 June pledged support to efforts of Sahel G5 (Niger, Mali, Chad, Mauritania and Burkina Faso) against jihadism and EU 5 June promised €50mn to support G5 joint military force; UN Security Council 21 June adopted resolution endorsing G5 force but did not authorise use of force. Amid diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia-led bloc and Qatar (see Qatar), govt 8 June recalled ambassador to Qatar for consultation.

Boko Haram (BH) militants 5 May attacked army post in Kaiga Kindjiria on Lake Chad in west; fighting left nine soldiers and 40 BH dead. Following arrest and, according to NGO coalition, torture of civil society leaders Nadjo Kaina and Bertrand Sollo in April, court sentenced both activists to six-month suspended prison terms 4 May. Civil society activist Maounde Decladore went missing 5 May in Moundou in south. Govt 4 May agreed with other G5 Sahel countries (Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso) to create joint military force by end of 2017 to counter jihadists and organised crime and 9 May signed agreement with Niger and Mali to strengthen judicial cooperation enabling three countries to arrest, prosecute and convict each other’s nationals. Chinese VP 9 May visited oil company, pledged $9mn for food aid and said China ready to finance water and infrastructure projects.

Violent incidents spiked early month, especially in N’Djamena area. Dispute among soldiers left three dead in Farcha, western suburb of capital 1 April. Police same day found three civilians shot dead in Gaoui, 10km NE of N’Djamena. Four assailants 2 April killed senior official of national water utility in N’Djamena. In Massaguet, about 90km NE of capital, assailants 11 April intercepted convoy moving prisoners from N’Djamena to Koro Toro in north, killing two guards and ten prisoners; security forces arrested army personnel allegedly involved. Police arrested civil society leaders Nadjo Kaina 6 April, Bertrand Sollo 15 April and activist Dingamnayel Nelly Versinis 12 April without giving reasons or place of detention. EU commissioner for international development 10 April pledged €100mn to govt, signed two additional financial agreements together worth €43.3mn.

Following Jan closure of northern border with Libya to prevent jihadists and rebels crossing into Chad, govt 3 March announced partial reopening at Wour crossing point for humanitarian and economic reasons; cross-border trade and free movement in north remained disrupted. In continued standoff between govt and unions over working conditions, parties signed compromise agreement 6 March; unions suspended strike for additional month to foster further talks on outstanding issues. French mining company employee kidnapped 23 March south of Abéché in east, allegedly taken to Sudan.

President Déby discussed fight against jihadists with UN delegation led by Executive Director of Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate Jean-Paul Laborde, Special Rep for West Africa Mohamed Ibn Chambas and acting head of Central Africa regional office François Louncény Fall 15 Feb, amid concerns that instability in Libya could spill over into Chad; former Minister Hassan Soukaya Youssouf mid-Feb said closure of border with Libya and military checkpoints negatively impacting livelihoods. Heads of state of G5 Sahel (Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Chad) in Bamako 6-7 Feb pledged to create joint task force to fight terrorism. In continued standoff between govt and unions over working conditions, govt failed to meet 13 Feb deadline to address major unions’ demands; govt late Feb introduced new austerity measures prompting unions to call for strike to resume 6 March. Déby 2 Feb postponed legislative elections initially scheduled for 2016 sine die citing economic problems; 6 Feb reshuffled govt. French minister for development and Francophonie in N’Djamena 14 Feb signed two funding agreements together worth €20mn.