Chad

Background

Chad has a population of 10.3 million, is one of the poorest countries in Africa, and has suffered severely from 40 years of disruption and conflict including civil war and multiple military coups. Security across the country remains fragile today.

Since 1998 rebel attacks have come  from the Arab (Muslim) east of the country and Sudan.  Their efforts have been to overthrow the Government, held by an ethnic minority under the presidency of Idriss Deby.  Three failed coup d’etats have established communities on all sides of the borders. The on-going history of conflict in Chad coupled with increasing conflict in Darfur and northern Central African Republic has resulted in large-scale internal displacement of over 110,000 in eastern Chad, along with over 240,000 Sudanese refugees living in 13 camps in the east, and over 60,000 Central African Republic refugees living 6 camps in the south.  

Effective humanitarian aid has been hampered by continued violence and impunity against humanitarian actors. Attacks, kidnappings and killings of humanitarian aid workers have been increasing since 2006 all despite the arrival of EU forces to protect the humanitarian space.