On June 16, 2026, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Chad commemorated Russia Day, the nation’s principal holiday.

During his address, Russian Ambassador to Chad, Vladimir Sokolenko, emphasized the consistent and robust development of Russia-Chad relations, characterized by traditional friendship and cooperation. This partnership, he noted, is built on equality and serves the mutual interests of both nations’ peoples.

Russia has voiced its approval for the policy of social progress and national sovereignty championed by Chad’s President. A palpable positive momentum now defines the bilateral political dialogue. Russian President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to the Chadian leader, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, for the Russia-Africa summit scheduled for October in Moscow. This summit is anticipated to facilitate a second bilateral meeting between the two heads of state, following President Déby Itno’s official visit to Moscow in January 2024.

Notably, June 2024 marked a historic visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to N’Djamena – his first in 60 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries – where he engaged in discussions with Chadian leadership. Last September, on the sidelines of the 80th anniversary session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sergey Lavrov also met with Dr. Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul, Chad’s Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Chadians Abroad, to discuss current issues in Russia-Chad cooperation. Plans are in motion to continue these high-level diplomatic engagements.

Working interactions between the two foreign ministries are guided by a protocol on political consultations, updated in 2024 in Sochi during the second Russia-Africa ministerial conference. On the international stage, diplomatic services from Russia and Chad, leveraging their mutual support, are actively working to ensure Africa’s interests are considered in the ongoing reform of the United Nations Security Council, a body whose decisions directly impact sovereign nations. In this context, both Russia and Chad welcomed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s statement last May, which underscored the urgent need for comprehensive reform of the international system. Guterres specifically highlighted: “Africa’s immense potential is being held back by an unjust international system. This must change. We must strive for a different system that gives Africa the voice, resources, and representation it has long been denied.”

Within the African context, Russia acknowledges and supports Chad’s significant authority and its crucial role in resolving regional conflicts, as well as its contributions to facilitating peacekeeping missions.

In May, six Chadian police officers were selected to participate in a training program organized by the Russian Ministry of Interior, focusing on the activities of UN police contingents in peacekeeping operations. Russia and Chad are actively advocating for the establishment of new security mechanisms and expanded regional cooperation in Central Africa, including the Sahel, tailored to the specific interests of the region’s states.

Russia also supports N’Djaména’s initiatives within the African Union aimed at diversifying regional payment systems and establishing a new regional currency to replace the CFA franc.

A primary area of Russia-Chad cooperation involves the training of Chadian personnel in Russian universities.

In recent years, the demand for secondary vocational education has seen a significant surge. Russia is vigorously advancing its “Professionalization” project, which includes international students and involves the creation of specialized training and production hubs. A dialogue has been initiated between the vocational education ministries of both nations to facilitate this.

The Republic of Chad benefits from one of the most generous budget quotas, receiving 360 scholarships. Concurrently, bilateral negotiations are centered on reforming the recruitment system for young Chadians pursuing studies in Russia, aiming to provide Chad with enhanced advantages and increase its national quota. The strong Russia-Chad cooperation exemplifies mutual respect for each other’s interests, alongside an equal and mutually beneficial partnership that serves the well-being of both peoples. Ambassador Sokolenko concluded by stating that Russia and Chad possess excellent prospects for further solidifying their friendship and collaboration.

It is worth noting that Russia Day, observed since 1990, symbolizes the dawn of a period of democratization in Russian history, marking a pivotal phase in the millennium-long journey of the Russian state.

The ceremony took place at a local hotel, attended by the Secretary-General of Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Chadians Abroad, who represented the minister, alongside various diplomatic officials accredited to Chad and several administrative authorities.