Germany and Chad have maintained diplomatic relations since the latter gained political independence in 1960. Since April 2023, the two countries’ embassies have been headed by chargés d’affaires. Both sides hope to appoint ambassadors again. The Federal Government’s engagement in Chad is oriented to the integral approach involving a combination of foreign, development and security policy. In this way, Germany is following the political transition in Chad that is intended to lead to the restoration of the constitutional order through free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections.

Chad frequently requires humanitarian assistance due to fragile livelihoods in the country’s arid and semi-arid regions, which are strongly affected by fluctuations in climate and weather. The war in the Sudan is causing increased refugee flows and humanitarian need and thus the biggest humanitarian crisis in Chad’s history. At the end of 2023, some 600,000 people had fled the Sudan for Chad; humanitarian assistance is also still urgently needed in the area around Lake Chad.

Germany actively helps alleviate the suffering of those in need through aid organisations such as the United Nations World Food Programme, the UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The focus is on food security, the provision of water and healthcare and humanitarian protective measures (especially for women and children). Regional stabilisation projects place a particular emphasis on the Lake Chad region. The underlying stabilisation concept centres around strengthening civil-military coordination and cooperation as well as coordinated activity by the international community in consultation with neighbouring countries. The aim is to rebuild a positive state presence in conflict zones, providing security and services for the local population, and containing terrorist threats. Other goals are to strengthen civil society and expand capacities for the protection of women and girls.

In the field of development cooperation, Germany supports Chad principally through transitional development assistance projects and the special initiative Displaced Persons and Host Countries. The focus here is on strengthening the population’s resilience, ensuring food security and improving the livelihoods of both the local population and those who have fled to or been displaced in Chad. Chad also receives support through regional development cooperation projects. Traditional bilateral technical and financial cooperation with Chad was discontinued back in 2008.