Chad–United States relations: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox bilateral relations|Chad–United States|Chad|USA|filetype=svg}}

According to the 2012 U.S. Global Leadership Report, 81% of [[Demographics of Chad|Chadians]] approve of U.S. leadership, with 18% disapproving and 1% uncertain, the fourth-highest rating for any surveyed country in [[Africa]].<ref>[http://www.gallup.com/file/poll/161309/US_Global_Leadership_Report_03-13_mh2.pdf U.S. Global Leadership Project Report - 2012] ''[[Gallup (company)|Gallup]]''</ref>

==Diplomatic missions==

[[File:Embassy of Chad (Washington, D.C.).JPG|thumb|right|Embassy of Chad in [[Washington D.C.]]]]

The American embassy in [[N'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 the [[Libya]]n forces at the end of 1981.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=June 2007|title=Background Note: Chad|url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/37992.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212231338/http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/37992.htm|archive-date=February 12, 2008|publisher=[[US Department of State]]|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}}}</ref> It was reopened in January 1982.<ref name=":1" /> The [[U.S. Agency for International Development]] (USAID) and the [[U.S. Information Service]] (USIS) offices resumed activities in Chad in September 1983.<ref name=":1" />

The Embassy of Chad in [[Washington, D.C.]] is the [[diplomatic mission]] of the [[Chad|Republic of Chad]] to the [[United States]]. It is located at 2401 [[Massachusetts Avenue (Washington, D.C.)|Massachusetts Avenue]], [[Northwest, Washington, D.C.]], in the [[Embassy Row]] neighborhood. From 1969 until 2002, the building served as the Embassy of Malaysia. In 2008, the building was purchased by the government of Chad. After a four-month renovation in 2009, Embassy of Chad employees moved from their 2002 R Street, NW building,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.embassy.org/embassies/td.html|title=Embassy.org: The Embassy of the Republic of Chad|website=www.embassy.org|access-date=30 April 2018}}</ref> into the new facility.

The ambassador of Chad in the United States is Mahamat Nasser Hassane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chadembassy.us/#!the-ambassador/c1o1q|title=Home|website=www.chadembassy.us|access-date=30 April 2018}}</ref>

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 as [[Peace Corps]] involvement.<ref name=":0">{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Chad: A Country Study|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/89600373/|date=1990|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|editor-last=Collelo|editor-first=Thomas|isbn=0-16-024770-5|edition=2nd|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=166–167|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}}}</ref> Drought in the early 1970s brought United States food and agriculture aid to remote areas, including grain supplies, animal health services, and technical assistance.<ref name=":0" /> Other economic agreements included road building in the Lake Chad area and rural community development.<ref name=":0" />

In a declassified record of a 1973 conversation between [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Richard Nixon]], [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[James R. Schlesinger]], and the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]] [[Admiral (United States)|Admiral]] [[Thomas Hinman Moorer|Thomas 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."<ref>{{cite book|title=National Security Policy, 1973-1976|publisher=United States Department of State|year=2014|page=128}}</ref>

Although Chad was part of France's sphere of influence, it also provided a low level of military assistance until 1977.<ref name=":0" /> President [[Félix Malloum]]'s 1978 request for increased military aid to fight the [[FROLINAT]] insurgency coincided with a marked increase in Soviet activity in Africa, especially in Ethiopia, and increased Soviet arms shipments to Libya.<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":0" /> Thus, in the 1980s United States interest and involvement in Chad increased.<ref name=":0" />

===Reagan administration===

Chad became a focus of American policy regarding North Africa when Secretary of State [[Alexander Haig]] sought new ways to undermine the [[Muammar 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 by [[Hissène Habré]]. The plan was successful, Qaddafi withdrew his troops.{{Citation needed|date=October 2020}} Habré seized control of the government of Chad in 1982, and received enthusiastic military and financial support from Washington.<ref name=":0" /> However, by 1988 American advisers had begun to stress the need to reconcile warring factions and pacify rebel groups within Chad.<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Roger Charlton, and Roy May. "Warlords and militarism in Chad." ''Review of African Political Economy'' 16.45-46 (1989): 12-25.</ref>

The United States enjoyed cordial relations with the government of [[Idriss Déby]].<ref name=":1" /> Chad has proved a valuable partner in the global [[war on terror]], and in providing shelter to 200,000 [[refugees of Sudan]]'s [[Darfur]] crisis along its eastern border.<ref name=":1" /><ref>Roland Marchal, "Chad/Darfur: how two crises merge." ''Review of African Political Economy'' 33.109 (2006): 467-482. [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Roland_Marchal/publication/240236874_ChadDarfur_How_two_crises_merge/links/575c2efd08ae414b8e4c18a2.pdf online]</ref>

===Foreign aid===

[[File:The United States Delivers COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Chad (51561638737).png|thumb|The US delivers COVID-19 vaccines to Chad as part of the [[COVAX]] initiative in 2021]]

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.<ref name=":1" /> It also included projects in road repair and maintenance, maternal and child health, famine early warning systems, and [[agricultural marketing]].<ref name=":1" /> A number of American voluntary agencies (notably [[Africare]] and [[Volunteers in Technical Assistance|VITA]]) continue to operate in Chad.<ref name=":1" /> Peace Corps has traditionally had a large presence in Chad, with volunteers arriving during the postwar period in September 1987, then withdrawing in 1998.<ref name=":1" /> Peace Corps operations resumed in September 2003, with a group of 20 new volunteers.<ref name=":1" /> The second class of 17 volunteers arrived in September 2004.<ref name=":1" /> Both groups focused on teaching English; expansion into other areas was planned for 2005.<ref name=":1" /> Currently the Peace Corps presence in Chad is inactive.<ref name=":1" />

In April 2007, [[United States Deputy Secretary of State|Deputy Secretary of State]] [[John Negroponte]] visited Chad in light of the [[War in Darfur]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fisher-Thompson|first1=Jim|title=State's Negoponte Thanks Chad for Aiding Darfur Refugees|url=http://iipdigital.usembassy.gov/st/english/article/2007/04/200704181511101ejrehsif0.6223871.html#axzz3PWI5TsYk|website=IIP Digital|publisher=United States Department of State|access-date=23 January 2015|date=18 April 2007}}</ref>

In April 2024, Chad asked the United States to stop using an air force base located in N'Djamena.<ref>{{cite web|last1=|first1=|title= Afrique Au Tchad, les activités de troupes américaines remises en question|url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20240419-au-tchad-les-activit%C3%A9s-de-troupes-am%C3%A9ricaines-remises-en-question|website=rfi.fr|publisher=Radio France International|access-date=20 April 2024|date=20 April 2024}}</ref>

===Travel ban===

On September 24, 2017, [[President of the United States|US President]] [[Donald Trump]] announced a travel ban that restricted the travel of the citizens of Chad to the United States, citing the risk of terrorism.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/09/25/why-did-the-u-s-travel-ban-add-counterterrorism-partner-chad-no-one-seems-quite-sure/|title=Analysis {{!}} Why did the U.S. travel ban add counterterrorism partner Chad? No one seems quite sure.|last=Sieff|first=Kevin|date=2017-09-25|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2017-09-26|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-adds-north-korea-venezuela-and-chad-to-list-of-nations-facing-travel-restrictions-1506296004|title=U.S. Adds North Korea, Venezuela and Chad to List of Nations Facing Travel Restrictions|last=Meckler|first=Laura|date=2017-09-25|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2017-09-26|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref> Regional experts including J. Peter Pham of the [[Atlantic Council]], Monde Muyangwa of the [[Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars]] and John Campbell of the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] expressed concern that Chad could reduce its defense and counter-terrorism cooperation with the United States in response.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Helen |last1=Cooper |first2=Michael D. |last2=Shear |first3=Dionne |last3=Searcey |first4=Eric |last4=Schmitt |first5=Jaime Yaya |last5=Yaya |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/26/world/africa/chad-travel-ban-american-interests.html |date=September 26, 2017 |title=Chad's Inclusion in Travel Ban Could Jeopardize American Interests, Officials Say}}</ref> On April 10, 2018, the US Government issued a proclamation lifting the travel restrictions on Chad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/04/13/2018-07864/maintaining-enhanced-vetting-capabilities-and-processes-for-detecting-attempted-entry-into-the|title=Maintaining Enhanced Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats|date=2018-04-13|work=Federal Register|access-date=2018-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-regarding-presidential-proclamation-lift-entry-restrictions-nationals-republic-chad/|title=Statement by the Press Secretary Regarding the Presidential Proclamation to Lift Entry Restrictions for Nationals of the Republic of Chad|access-date=2018-08-12|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="chad">{{Cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-chad-security/u-s-lifts-travel-ban-on-chad-citizens-white-house-idINKBN1HI001|title=U.S. lifts travel ban on Chad citizens - White House|author=Reuters Editorial|work=IN|access-date=2018-08-12|language=en-IN}}</ref>

The [[American International School of N'Djamena]] was in the Chadian capital until closing in 2008.

*[[List of ambassadors of Chad to the United States]]

*[[List of ambassadors of the United States to Chad]]

*[[CIA activities in Chad|CIA activities in Canada]]

[[Category:Chad–United States relations| ]]