The agreement, which offers rebels security guarantees has not been signed by the rebel movement behind the offensive that cost the life of former President Idriss Déby Itno.

Chad's military government signed, today, an agreement with about 40 rebel groups and opposition movements for a national dialogue, to be held in N’Djamena on August 20, 2022. 

The agreement was signed, in Qatar, by Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno (photo), Head of the military regime, who traveled to Doha in person to take part in the final negotiations. 

The agreement guarantees cease-fire and offers rebel groups security guarantees. The military government agrees “not to carry out any military or police operations in neighboring countries against the signatory groups.”

The Front pour l'alternance et la concorde au Tchad (FACT), one of the main rebel groups, did not, however, sign the agreement laying the prerequisites for an inclusive national dialogue.

On Sunday, August 7, it revealed that it would reject the Doha agreement because its demands had not been taken into account. As listed, the demands are notably “having the same number of delegates for every participating party during the national dialogue, the establishment of an inclusive steering committee, the release of prisoners when the agreement is signed and an amendment of the transitional charter," said the rebel movement's spokesman, Issa Ahmat.

Despite this rejection, Qatar, which has been sponsoring the Chadian pre-dialogue since last March, still hopes to convince the rebel group,  which was behind the offensive that cost the life of former president Idriss Déby Into.

"We hope that other groups will join the reconciliation and peace initiatives to achieve the hopes and dreams of the Chadian population. [...] The initial peace agreement we are celebrating today will be an important turning point towards stability and prosperity for Chadians,” Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told the signatories of the agreement.

Following the death of former President Idriss Déby Itno (who was killed during an offensive against the FACT rebels in April 2021), his son, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno became the president of a transitional government headed by a military council consisting of fifteen generals. 

He promised free and democratic elections within 18 months, after an "inclusive national dialogue" with the political opposition and armed rebel groups. During this national dialogue, participants will have to decide, among other things, the conditions for the organization of the presidential election.

The presidential election was scheduled for October 2022 but there are still uncertainties on whether the elections will be held or postponed for another 18 months. France, the African Union, and the European Union urge General Mahamat Idriss Déby to take the required steps to organize the elections in October as promised.  Also, during the peace talks in Doha, rebel groups required the current president to announce he would not run for the elections. However, the ruling military council brushed the requests aside eing that such a decision can only be taken during the national dialogue.