In late November, both Senegal and Chad – independently of one another – moved to profoundly alter their longstanding relationships with the French military. Senegalese President Diomaye Bassirou Faye,

Chad's President Mahamat Deby said the decision to terminate the country's military pact with France was taken because it had become outdated, in his first public remarks since the surprise announcement last week.

The decision by Chad is another blow to what remained of France’s military influence in the troubled stretch of countries below the Sahara, where Russia’s influence has been growing.

Chad, a former African colony of France, has for decades been central to its military operations in Africa, but it is developing closer ties to Russia amid the NATO war with Russia in Ukraine.

Chad is just the latest nation in Central and West Africa to sever its security agreements with Paris. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have all ended deals with France and other Western nations in recent years, turning to Russia for support instead.

Chad has ended its defence cooperation pact with France - a move that could see French troops leave the country as the former colonial power's influence across the Sahel collapses.

The decision requires France to withdraw its troops from the central African nation and echoes growing anti-French sentiment with civil society groups who say it is long overdue. Deby said military ties with France that have existed for close to 65 years are in no way helping to rescue Chad from what he calls growing security challenges,

Deby stated that the agreement no longer served Chad's security or geopolitical interests. Despite over a decade of fighting a jihadist insurgency, support from French and U.S. troops has not succeeded in stabilizing the country.