Germany expels Chad’s ambassador in tit-for-tat move

Germany’s move comes a week after Chad expelled its ambassador from N’djamena for “disrespecting diplomatic customs.”

Berlin has ordered Chad’s ambassador to Germany to leave the country within 48 hours in response to a similar move by the West African country last week, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

“In response to the unjustified expulsion of our ambassador to Chad, today we summoned the Chadian ambassador to Berlin, Mariam Ali Moussa, and urged her to leave Germany within 48 hours. We regret that it had to come to this,” the ministry said in a tweet.

The German ambassador to Chad, Gordon Kricke, was expelled last week. The Chadian Ministry of Communications said the decision was a result of “disrespect for diplomatic customs”.

Two Chadian government sources said the expulsion was a result of Kricke’s critical remarks about postponed elections and a court decision allowing interim military leader Mahamat Idriss Deby to run for political office.

“Ambassador Kricke performed his duties in N’Djamena in an exemplary manner and has championed human rights and the rapid transition to civilian rule in Chad,” the German ministry said.

Military leaders in the Central African country originally promised an 18-month transition to elections when Deby seized power after his father, President Idriss Deby, was killed on the battlefield during a clash with rebels, ending decades of authoritarian rule .

But last year, the military government extended the timeline by two years, postponing the election to October 2024, sparking protests that left dozens of civilians dead, and troubling regional powers and the United States who have warned of extending the military reign.