On April 8, the Chad government ordered German Ambassador Gordon Kricke to leave the country within 48 hours, Reuters reported. “This decision of the government is motivated by the impolite attitude and the non-respect of diplomatic customs,” the Chadian Communications Ministry said on April 7, via Twitter.
Additionally, a government source told Agence France-Presse that “Kricke was seen as ‘interfering too much’ in the governance of the country, and making divisive remarks.
Reuters reported that, “Two Chadian government sources said on Saturday that Ambassador Gordon Kricke had criticized delays in holding elections after the coup, and a ruling last year that will allow interim military leader Mahamat Idriss Deby to run in elections in 2024.”
When then President of Chad Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield during a conflict with rebels, his son, Mahamat Deby, seized power in a military coup on April 20, 2021. The military leaders originally had promised an 18-month transition to elections, but last year, extended the timeline by two years to October 2024. The decision sparked protests internally, and caused concern among regional powers, according to Reuters.
Germany’s foreign ministry has not yet made any public comments regarding the expulsion, but sources indicate that it is in touch with the Chad government.
The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in central Africa, and is bordered by Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.
