Germany to expel Chad ambassador in tit-for-tat move

Germany has ordered the Chadian ambassador to leave the country after the "unfounded" expulsion of its own ambassador to Chad, a spokesman for the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

Jan Christian Gordon Kricke was declared persona non grata by the government for his "impolite attitude" on Friday and asked to leave Chad within 48 hours.

The German foreign ministry on Tuesday said it had made the same request of Chad's ambassador Mariam Ali Moussa "in response to the unfounded expulsion of our ambassador to Chad".

"We regret that it had to come to this," the spokesman said.

"Ambassador Kricke has exercised his office in N'Djamena in an exemplary manner and has worked for human rights and the rapid transition to a civilian government in Chad," he added.

Kricke left Chad on Saturday after the government of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno accused him of "non-respect of diplomatic practices".

Chadian government officials did not specify the exact reasons for his expulsion.

But one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that N'Djamena was critical of the diplomat for "interfering too much" in the "governance of the country", as well as for "remarks tending to divide Chadians".

A German foreign ministry official on Friday deemed the reasons for expelling Kricke, who had held the post since July 2021, "absolutely incomprehensible".

Deby Itno, then a young 37-year-old general, was proclaimed president on April 20, 2021, when his father who had led the vast Sahelian country for 30 years was killed by rebels.

The military junta initially promised to hand power to civilians through "free and democratic elections", however in October, Deby's rule was extended for two years.

The move has been boycotted by the opposition and main rebel movements.

The German embassy joined others such as France, Spain and The Netherlands in expressing its concern over the delayed return to democracy.

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© Agence France-Presse