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Germany expels Chad's ambassador in tit-for-tat response

April 11, 2023

Berlin has ordered Chad's ambassador to leave Germany within 48 hours, following a similar demand from Chad's military government last week. "We regret that it had to come to this," the foreign ministry said.

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Mariam Ali Moussa, Chad's ambassador in Berlin since 2018.
Mariam Ali Moussa became ambassador in 2018, when Chad had something more comparable with a civilian government, albeit ran by a former generalImage: Dean Calma/IAEA/Wikipedia

Germany has ordered Chad's ambassador to leave the country within 48, the German Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

Chad's government said earlier on Tuesday that Germany's ambassador to the country, Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke, had left over the weekend after receiving his marching orders. 

"In response to the unfounded expulsion of our Ambassador to Chad, we today summoned the Chadian Ambassador in Berlin, Mariam Ali Moussa, and called on her to leave Germany within 48 hours. We regret that it had to come to this," Germany's Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

"Ambassador Kricke carried out his mission in N'Djamena in an exemplary manner and has worked for human rights and the rapid transition to a civilian government in Chad," it said.

Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke, German ambassador to Chad.
Germany Ambassador Jan-Christian Gordon Kricke left Chad over the weekendImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture alliance

A foreign ministry spokesperson said: "We very much regret that it has come to this."

Why was Germany's ambassador to Chad expelled?

Last Tuesday, Chad's Communication Ministry said that the ambassador had to leave the country due to his "impolite attitude" and "lack of respect for diplomatic customs."

The two-line statement from the ministry did not provide details.

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency cited an unnamed government source as saying that Kricke was seen as "interfering too much" and making divisive remarks. According to the source, he had been warned on several previous occasions.

On Saturday, AFP cited sources as saying that Kricke was expelled over critical comments about the political situation in Chad.

Chad's military government currently plans presidential elections for 2024. It took power after former soldier and strongman Idriss Deby's death days after the 2021 vote; the military said he was killed leading troops against rebel fighters. 

Deby's son, General Mahamt Idriss Deby Itno, serves as transitional president and head of the so-called Transitional Military Council that currently plans to rule for some three years before holding a vote.

Plans for a ballot in the second half of 2022 were formally delayed last October, prompting public protests.

sdi/msh (Reuters, dpa, AFP)