Chad's President Mahamat Deby said the decision to terminate the country's military pact with France was taken because it had become outdated, in his first public remarks since the surprise announcement last week.

Chad's decision to end military cooperation with former colonial power France is the latest downgrade of waning French influence in the Sahel region. Chad has been a key link in France's military presence in Africa and its last foothold in the Sahel after the forced withdrawal of troops from Mali,

The decision by Chad is another blow to what remained of France’s military influence in the troubled stretch of countries below the Sahara, where Russia’s influence has been growing.