Policy paper

UK–Chad development partnership summary, March 2024

Published 27 March 2024

Introduction 

The international development white paper sets out a re-energised agenda for the UK working with partners to accelerate progress on eliminating extreme poverty, tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, and accelerating progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

In a contested world, where ODA alone will not be enough, achieving the vision as set out in the SDGs requires a radical rethink in our approach to international development. The white paper sets out how our partnerships are central to this approach. These are founded on mutual respect, with an emphasis on country ownership, accountability, transparency and common values. This country development partnership summary details how the approach detailed in the white paper will be put into practice with Chad.  

Country context 

Chad is a landlocked country at the crossroads of the Sahel  and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria (across Lake Chad) and Niger.

It has a population of roughly 17 million, nearly half of which are living under the poverty line. Chad ranks 189th out of 193 in the Human Development Index. 90% of the population live off subsistence farming and livestock rearing, but most government revenue comes from oil. The economy grew by 3% in 2023, with similarly subdued growth predicted in 2024. 

The country is undergoing a political transition back to civilian and constitutional rule following the death of President Idriss Deby in 2021. His son, Mahamat Déby, was invested as President of the Transition in October 2022 and a Government of National Unity was formed. Elections are due to be held in May 2024.  

Food insecurity and malnutrition, climate change, violent extremism, population displacement and intercommunal and armed conflict continue to pose serious humanitarian challenges. More than 1 million of Chad’s 17 million population are refugees. and 381,000 people are displaced. 6.9 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. In 2022, more than 1.3 million people were affected by flooding. The country is also affected by the conflict in Sudan which has caused thousands of refugees and returnees to cross the border (700,000 at the latest count).  

Why and how: the UK’s development offer with Chad 

The UK has 4 priorities in Chad:  

1. Support Chad’s political transition from military to civilian rule and to promote peace and conflict resolution

The UK supports the UNDP’s basket fund to support the political transition, with a focus on bringing in women and excluded groups. We also support the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Regional Stabilisation Facility, which aims to improve community safety and security, restore essential infrastructure and basic services, and provide opportunities for people in areas affected by violent extremism, in particular in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) and eastern Chad. 

2. Improve the response to the most acute humanitarian needs

Through the Sahel Assistance and Protection Programme (SHAPP), the UK supports the World Food Programme (WFP) to address food insecurity, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to meet protection needs, and the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to ensure humanitarian operations continue in hard-to-reach areas. The UK’s Sahel Regional Fund supports national and international non-governmental organisations to provide protection and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in the LCB and eastern Chad.  

3. Empower women and girls and the most vulnerable populations to reduce gender and social inequality

We support girls’ education though the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait. We have partnered with local women-led organisations such as Cellule de Liaison et d’Information des Associations Féminines (Women’s Associations’ Information and Liaison Group, CELIAF) to fight conflict-related sexual violence. Through our Women’s Integrated Sexual Health (WISH) Programme we support the local NGO Association Tchadienne pour le Bien-Etre Familial (ASTBEF) to provide family planning and sexual and reproductive health services to marginalised populations. Our Women, Peace and Security programme with COOPI aims to strengthen women’s participation in peacebuilding processes.  

4. Build climate resilience and accelerate access to climate finance

We support the World Bank’s Shock Response Programme, which is building national systems to identify vulnerable households, allowing them to provide cash transfers ahead of shocks such as floods or drought, preventing people falling into humanitarian need. We chair the coordination group on accelerating Chad’s Access to Climate Finance, supporting studies exploring barriers and sponsoring the NDC Partnership’s focal point with Government.  

Programmes 

Through our diplomatic presence and humanitarian and development programming, the UK is responding to urgent needs, building resilience to recurrent crises, and addressing some of the root causes of conflict and poverty in the Sahel. As a relative newcomer and small/medium-sized donor to the region, our focus is not just on delivering results but also on building evidence of what works. We use our funding and diplomatic presence to promote UK priorities such as freedom and democracy, the empowerment of women and girls, environmental protection and respect for international humanitarian law. 

Key programmes include: 

The Sahel Humanitarian Assistance & Protection Programme (SHAPP)

This programme responds to humanitarian needs in areas of most acute need and contributes to a safer and more secure operating environment so humanitarian actors can access the hardest to reach and those in greatest need of humanitarian aid. Over 4 years the programme estimates to deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid to over 1.4 million people in Chad, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. 

The Shock Response Programme (SRP)

This programme strengthens the ability of Sahel governments to better manage risks and respond to the impacts of climate and weather shocks (such as droughts and floods) through establishing social protection systems that build the resilience of people. 

The Lake Chad Basin (LCB) Programme

This programme is funded by the UK’s Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF), this programme aims to increase commitment towards a peaceful settlement, from sub-national and national actors across the Lake Chad Basin. It works to improve effectiveness of national and regional security actors to detect and tackle threats, enhance social cohesion, security and justice, and improve delivery of services, to strengthen the social contract across the LCB and weaken drivers of extremism. 

Who we work with 

Implementing partners

• World Bank
• United Nations: World Food Programme (WFP) and Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Development Programme (UNDP)
• African Development Bank
• international non-governmental organisations: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), International Rescue Committee (IRC), Concern Worldwide, COOPI
• local non-governmental organisations: SOS International, ACORD, CELIAF 

Donors and regional bodies

• Canada
• Germany
• France
• US
• European Union (EU) including the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (DG ECHO)
• United Nations
• African Union 

Related links 

• British Embassy N’Djamena  
• Chad DevTracker page 
• Sahel development partnership summary 
• Pan-Africa development partnership summary