Background Note for the Secretary-General’s meeting with
H.E. Mr. Idriss DEBY ITNO,
President of the Republic of Chad
21 September 2014, 14:55
The internal situation
Chad has made important progress to consolidate peace since 2010 and is a country of relative stability in a very troubled region. This stability is heavily dependent on Chad’s ability to shield itself from the spillover effects of the crises in the immediate neighborhood (the Central African Republic, Libya, North-eastern Nigeria, Sudan and the Sahel-Sahara region), which have resulted in the displacement of around 450,000 refugees into Chad. In addition, around 300,000 Chadians returnees have been registered since the outbreak of the crises in Libya (190,000) and the Central African Republic (110,000), putting enormous pressure on the country which may result in social tensions.
At the political level, the President’s party, Mouvement Patriotique du Salut (MPS), continues to dominate the landscape. Despite having formed a coalition, the opposition remains fragmented and weak. Chad is expected to hold local, legislative and presidential elections respectively in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Local and legislative elections are likely to be postponed, as a result, inter alia, of delays in establishing the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), and in initiating biometric voters’ registration.
The opposition claims these delays are politically motivated. Opposition political parties boycotted the 2011 presidential elections, alleging electoral irregularities. Further to a request from the government and to the recommendations of an electoral Needs Assessment Mission, the UN, through UNDP, is providing technical electoral assistance and an electoral advisor has been deployed.
Chad continues to experience repeated cabinet reshuffles that hinder the work of the Government. Over 20 Prime Ministers have been appointed by President Déby Itno since he took power in 1990. The cabinet of Prime Minister Kalzeubé Payimi Deubet was reshuffled for the fourth time since his appointment in November 2013. The Government was reduced from 42 members to 27 (21 Ministers and
6 State Secretaries), the most significant reduction in more than ten years.
Boko Haram (See also generic)
President Déby Itno participated in the Paris Summit on Boko Haram in May 2014 and reiterated his country’s commitment to cooperate with countries of the Lake Chad Basin to fight Boko Haram. Also in May 2014, Chad agreed to host 80 US Armed Forces personnel, as well as one unarmed Predator reconnaissance aircraft, as part of US efforts to locate the 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria and support their safe return. On 16 August 2014, Chadian troops intercepted a convoy of buses carrying 85 Nigerian nationals who had been abducted by Boko Haram in Doron Baga, Nigeria, on 10 August, and ferried across Lake Chad into Chadian territory.
The Central African Republic (CAR) (See also generic)
The crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to affect much of Central Africa, including Chad. Since early December 2013, following the targeted attacks that killed dozens of Chadians in the CAR, an estimated 110,000 Chadians were repatriated from the CAR.
The return of Chadians and Central Africans of Chadian descent, many of whom have never lived in Chad, has become a humanitarian and social burden on a country that already hosts thousands of Sudanese and CAR refugees. A sudden influx of thousands of additional refugees could also potentially lead, in the medium term, to tensions over access to resources between returning herders and local farmers, particularly in the south of Chad.
On 17 April 2014, President Déby Itno announced the closure of the border with the CAR, officially to protect refugees and prevent incursions of armed groups.
On 9 and 10 January 2014, Chad, as chair of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), convened the sixth Extraordinary Summit of ECCAS, devoted to the situation in the CAR.
Poaching and Illicit Wildlife Trafficking (See also generic)
Chad’s armed forces are committed to tackle poaching, which is considered a national security issue. President Déby Itno and President Bongo of Gabon pledged to honor a 10-year moratorium on the sales of their ivory stockpiles, in an effort to protect the
sub-region’s elephants, during the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade in February 2014.
Mali (See also generic)
In July 2014, Chad agreed to host basing facilities of the French
“anti-terrorist” military campaign in the Sahel (“Operation Barkhane”) in N’Djamena.
On 2 September, four Chadian peacekeepers were killed and 15 were wounded in an attack against a vehicle of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in Kidal. On 14 September, a Chadian peacekeeper was killed and four were injured by a land mine in the same city. On 18 September, 5 Chadian peacekeepers were killed and 4 were wounded by an explosive device on the Aguelhok-Tessalit axis in Northern Mali. Also on 18 September, during a visit to Mali, the Chadian Minister of Defense indicated that Chad would withdraw its contingent from Mali should their conditions of deployment not improve. Such a decision would severely hamper MINUSMA’s capacity to implement its mandate.
The Sahel (See also generic)
Chad took the lead on the Sahel upon joining the Security Council, and was the penholder of the Council’s 4th Presidential Statement on the Sahel, which was adopted on 27 August 2014 (S/PRST/2014/17). During the negotiation of the Presidential Statement, Chad proposed to establish a special unit to undertake regional patrols to effectively constrain the spread of transnational threats in the region.
Chad also lobbied, without success, for the relocation of the Office of the Special Envoy (OSES) from Dakar to one of the “G5 Sahel” states, and the elevation of the rank of the Special Envoy from Assistant Secretary-General to Under-Secretary General. Discussions over the appropriateness of the rank of the Special Envoy at the Fifth Committee remain inconclusive. The Special Envoy for the Sahel,
Ms. Guebre Sellassie, is planning to visit Chad in September 2014.
In July 2014, Chad agreed to host basing facilities of the French
“anti-terrorist” military campaign in the Sahel (“Operation Barkhane”) in N’Djamena.
Background Note for the Secretary-General’s photo-op meeting with
H.E. Mr. Ramtane LAMAMRA, Foreign Minister of Algeria
21 September 2014, 15:55
Political Reforms
The Government of Algeria embarked on the elaboration of the new 5-year national development plan (2015-2019). The new Government’s priorities are focused on:
- safeguarding national sovereignty, law and order, stability and national dialogue;
- economic and financial governance systems, including productive sectors, an infrastructure conducive to growth and development, local and sustainable development; and
- efficient and relevant social services, with a new opening to the role of civil society in development.
Western Sahara
The mediation process on Western Sahara, currently based on discreet bilateral consultations and shuttle diplomacy as needed in preparation for direct talks between the parties, has been in a hiatus since publication of your most recent report on Western Sahara, last April. To date, Morocco, which reacted with great anger to your report, has not agreed to the resumption of negotiations and demands written clarifications on the framework and conduct of the negotiating process and the UN role with regard to Western Sahara.
The Secretary-General have decided not to respond in writing, since this would jeopardize the impartiality of the UN’s mediation. Discussions are ongoing with Morocco to diffuse tensions and renew the dialogue, with a trip of your Personal Envoy (PESG),
Mr. Christopher Ross, to Rabat in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, regional media reports continue to convey rumors regarding the possible resignation of PESG Ross, the dates and purpose of his next trip to the region, and his alleged intention to propose major changes in the negotiating framework, including asking the Security Council to invoke Chapter VII. Your Spokesperson has denied these allegations and clarified that PESG Ross had no intention to resign or put an end to the negotiating process in April 2015.
New SRSG of MINURSO
On 12 May, you appointed Ms. Kim Bolduc (Canada) as your Special Representative and Head of the united Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) after the normal selection process, including informing both parties of your intention to appoint her and the Security Council’s 8 May endorsement. Both Algeria and Polisario have welcomed this nomination, while Morocco continues to express reticence.
Human rights in Western Sahara
Algeria strongly supports the inclusion of human rights in the mandate of MINURSO and has been advocating for an international human rights monitoring mechanism in Western Sahara.
Mali (See also generic)
Since the adoption of the Ouagadougou preliminary agreement, negotiated under the lead of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Algeria has increasingly attempted to wield its traditional influence in the resolution of the Malian conflict.
At the beginning of the year, Algeria launched an initiative to reinforce coherence among armed groups, ostensibly at the request of the Malian Government. Since then, Algeria has assumed the role of lead mediator and launched a first round of Algeria-led inter-Malian talks in July. The road map agreed at the first round of the talks acknowledged the ECOWAS mediation but relegated ECOWAS, MINUSMA and others to supporting roles. A second round of the talks is expected has started in Algiers on 1 September.
Over the last six months, there has been a steep increase in the number of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa seeking Algeria as destination country. This is a major shift in the nature of population movement not transiting but staying in the northern cities. Algeria seems to be ready to support these migrants (approximately 25,000 people), but currently there is no national strategy for this new phenomenon. The UN has offered assistance but is waiting for an official response from the government.
The Sahel (See generic)
Libya
Algeria is greatly concerned about cross-border trafficking in weapons and the safe haven that the Libyan desert provides to extremist groups. While they supported Mr. Qadhafi, bilateral relations have improved since the Revolution. However, Algeria still views Libya, and in particular the security situation, with great concern, which has been exacerbated by the recent fighting between Islamist and non-Islamist factions.
On 16 May, Algerian Special Forces reportedly evacuated the Ambassador and Embassy staff from Tripoli in response to an « imminent and direct threat. » Algeria fears being associated with the fighting currently taking place. On 19 May, Sonatrach, the Algerian State energy company, evacuated some 50 workers from Libya over security concerns. Algiers has also increased security along its border with Libya and imposed additional restrictions on crossing points.
With regard to international cooperation, Foreign Minister Lamamra attended the Ministerial Conference on international support to Libya held in Rome in March 2014, Foreign Minister Lamamra also participated in the Fourth Ministerial Meeting for the Neighboring Countries of Libya held in Cairo in August 2014, as well as in the “5 plus 5” meeting in Madrid on 17 September. Algeria has participated in, and is supportive of regional initiatives to help Libya better control its borders. The most recent international meeting on border security was held in Rabat in November 2013. Algeria viewed this effort by Morocco with suspicion. Despite Algiers’ concerns, they maintain a policy of non-intervention with regard to Libya and this came through in sharp contrast to the position of Egypt during the recent “5 plus 5” meeting in Madrid.
Moroccan-Algerian relations
Today, bilateral relations between Morocco and Algeria are at their lowest point in many years. Ministerial exchanges have been suspended and public statements are inflammatory. Each side accuses the other of working to undermine its internal and external security and its international standing on many levels. In this connection, they also accuse each other of complicity in narcotic flows and illegal migration in the Sahel.
On the 20th anniversary of the closure of their border, the two countries deepened their estrangement, with Morocco announcing on 9 September 2014 its intention to extend its electronic fence on the border with Algeria from 70 to 110 km using the rationale of fighting drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Algeria reacted to the Moroccan fence by building a similar wall that stretches from the Mediterranean Sea to the south and is said to have deployed troops along the border. Meanwhile, both Morocco and Algeria have significantly increased their military expenditure, with Algeria becoming the sixth largest arms importer (previously 22nd) and Morocco the 12th (previously 69th). So far, there have been no armed confrontations but tensions are such that any incident could trigger a violent response on either side. Such incidents have in fact occurred several times over the past year.
The Sahel (See generic)
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Read Out for the Secretary-General’s meeting with
H.E. Mr. Idriss Déby Itno,
President of the Republic of Chad
XX September 2014, New York
The Secretary-General met today with H.E. Mr. Idriss Déby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad. They discussed the situation in Chad. They also exchanged views on regional developments such as the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR), Boko Haram’s activities in the Lake Chad Basin region, the situations in Mali and in the Sahel and the challenges posed by poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking in Central Africa. The Secretary-General expressed his condolences for the recent loss of Chadian peacekeepers in Mali.
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Meeting with H.E. Mr. IdrissDéby ITNO,
President of the Republic of Chad,
1. Internal political and security situation, including Boko Haram
2. The Central African Republic
3. Mali(see also generic)and the Sahel (see generic)
- Express the UN’s condolencesfor the recent death of Chadian peacekeepers within MINUSMA.
- Encourage Chad to continue playing a significant role in security operations in the north of Mali.
- Note the UN’s commitment to help Chad improve its capacity to mitigate terrorist threats.
4. Poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking in Central Africa (see generic)
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Meeting with H.E. Mr. IdrissDéby ITNO,
President of the Republic of Chad,
1. Internal political and security situation, including Boko Haram
2. The Central African Republic
3. Mali(see also generic)and the Sahel (see generic)
- Express the UN’s condolencesfor the recent death of Chadian peacekeepers within MINUSMA.
- Encourage Chad to continue playing a significant role in security operations in the north of Mali.
- Note the UN’s commitment to help Chad improve its capacity to mitigate terrorist threats.
4. Poaching and illicit wildlife trafficking in Central Africa (see generic)