Since November 2023, when the defense ministers of Hungary and Chad announced the deployment of 200 Hungarian soldiers in the Central African country, a new language has been mingling with French and English in the corridors of the grand hotels of N’Djamena, the Chadian capital. The Hungarian Parliament at that point defined the official contours of this military mission – to reinforce the capacities of the Chad National Army and support the fight against terrorism – while leaving details of troop deployment vague. The date of their arrival may soon become clearer, however, as delegations of Hungarian diplomats and military officers are increasingly shuttling between the two capitals.
In the meantime, Hungary is unveiling a battery of development projects in sectors as diverse as water supply, eyewear manufacturing and camel milk processing. These projects are financed by a €200 million loan announced during President Mahamat Idriss Déby’s visit to Budapest in September. In November, Hungarian diplomats are even planning a meeting in N’Djamena of the European Union (EU) member states’ special envoys for the Sahel.
‘A key country in the fight against immigration’
The backdrop to this new relationship with N’Djamena is Viktor Orban’s desire to step up the fight against illegal immigration, which he has made the hallmark of his EU presidency. “Chad is a key country in the fight against illegal immigration,” declared the Hungarian prime minister on his X account at the end of the Chadian president’s visit. “Migration from Africa to Europe cannot be stopped without the Sahel states.”
Budapest’s original intention was to start this fight from Niger, but the July 2023 coup against President Mohamed Bazoum prompted the country to turn to N’Djamena. Although Chad is neither a country of departure nor a major transit country for migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, Hungary sees it as a pole of stability that will enable it to extend its influence in the region.
While the two countries are often opposed on European issues, Hungary’s analysis here converges with that of France, which, after the expulsion of its soldiers from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, is keen to avoid destabilizing its last ally in the Sahel.
The arrival of this new player initially aroused obvious suspicion in Western chancelleries due to Orban’s proximity to Russian President Vladimir Putin, at a time when Russia is steadily extending its influence in the region. “It’s simply absurd that Hungary should represent Russian or any other country’s interests in the Sahel,” wrote Laszlo Eduard, Hungary’s special envoy for the region, on his X account.
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Publish date : 2024-10-18 04:12:00
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