Brief History of Chad

*Chad, located in Central Africa, became a French colony in the early 20th century after the French
defeated local rulers and resistance fighters, including Rabih az-Zubayr in 1900. By 1920, it was fully integrated into French
Equatorial Africa. The colonial period was marked by economic exploitation, forced labor, and neglect of development outside southern Chad.
In 1960, Chad gained independence under President François Tombalbaye. Post-independence, ethnic and regional divisions between
the Muslim north and Christian/animist south fueled instability. Tombalbaye’s autocratic rule led to his overthrow in 1975.
Subsequently, civil war and external interventions, particularly by Libya, destabilized the country.
Hissène Habré seized power in 1982 with U.S. and French support but was notorious for human rights abuses and repressive policies.
Idriss Déby overthrew Habré in 1990, establishing a regime focused on centralizing power and using oil revenues for patronage.
Déby ruled until his death in 2021 during clashes with rebels.Mahamat Idriss Déby, his son, assumed power as interim president in 2021, promising
democratic reforms. However, his military-led transitional government has faced criticism for delaying elections and suppressing dissent, continuing Chad’s history of authoritarianism.*

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Incorporated 2025