Brussels, 20 May 2021
Today, members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the current situation in Chad. After the death of long-term President Déby, the army, led by the President’s son, installed a National Council of Transition, suspended the constitution and dissolved the Government and National Assembly. When opposition parties and civilians started protesting against these actions, they were stopped by police and military forces. At the same time, Chad faces increasing pressure from rebel troops and terrorist groups, threatening the security for the whole Sahel region.
Željana Zovko had her hands on the text as negotiator on the behalf of EPP. In her plenary address, she stated that Chad is a key country for stability and security in the Sahel region and an important partner for the European Union in the fight against terrorism. She called on the National Council of Transition to respect its own declarations and to work towards free and fair elections. “The people of Chad deserve a civilian government, based on the principles of democracy and human rights” she stated.
Additionally, Zovko called on the European Union to support Chad in these efforts towards democracy and to reaffirm support for Chad’s commitment to the G5 Sahel. Zovko, who has experience with the region as EPP shadow rapporteur for the report on EU-Africa security cooperation in the Sahel region, West Africa and the Horn of Africa, underlined that “We should remain determined to assist Chad, and the wider Sahel, on its road towards stabilisation and recovery. Yet, this support cannot be fully effective unless there is strong governance and ownership.”