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N’Djamena, Chad — On January 6, 2026, Chad has appointed Amina Priscille Longoh as its new ambassador to France. With this decision, she becomes the first woman to hold the post in the country’s political history.

The government named Longoh Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chad to the French Republic, a key diplomatic position that reflects the importance of ties between N’Djamena and Paris.

Shortly after the announcement, Longoh reacted on X, where she thanked President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno for the confidence placed in her.

“I express my gratitude to His Excellency President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, who has given me the great honor of appointing me Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chad to the French Republic,” she wrote.

A first in Chad’s political history

Longoh said the decision reflects the president’s attachment to social progress.

“By appointing a woman to this important responsibility for the first time, he once again demonstrates his attachment to social progress,” she added.

Strengthening long-standing ties

France remains one of Chad’s most important partners. Cooperation between the two countries spans diplomacy, education, culture, and development.

In addition, France hosts a large Chadian diaspora, making the Paris embassy a strategic post.

For this reason, Longoh said she intends to work actively to strengthen relations between the two nations.

“This appointment honors me and obliges me to work tirelessly to strengthen the historic relations between our two countries,” she said.

Beyond diplomacy, Longoh outlined clear priorities for her mission.

She pledged to promote Chad’s values, deepen cooperation, and support Chadian citizens living in France.

“In the service of Chad, our beautiful and great country, I will promote our values, strengthen cooperation, and support the Chadian diaspora in France,” she wrote.

The appointment has drawn mixed reactions, with some welcoming the decision and others questioning Longoh’s diplomatic experience, despite her service as a government minister from 2020 to 2025.

As Longoh prepares to take up her duties in Paris, attention will likely shift from the symbolism of her appointment to the substance of her work. Her tenure will be assessed on her ability to navigate complex bilateral relations, manage diplomatic priorities, and represent Chad’s interests effectively.

In this sense, the appointment constitutes less a conclusion than the beginning of a test: one in which performance, rather than precedent, will ultimately shape its significance.

Djinodji SOLMENGAR

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar Rodrigue is a journalist with MRTV English, Chad’s first English-language media outlet, where he led English-language news coverage at its launch. Based in N’Djamena, his reporting explores political, economic, and social developments, with particular attention to everyday realities, informal sectors, and cultural life. His work also extends to football and broader societal issues, approached through field reporting and in-depth storytelling. Beyond reporting, Djinodji regularly conducts interviews focused on education, including the teaching of English in Chad, as well as conversations (with AFROTRONIX, to name a few) on culture and music. He is also active as an English–French interpreter, working alongside international media professionals. In this capacity, he recently supported and interpreted for a delegation of foreign journalists, including BBC representatives, during the PND Chad Connexion 2030 mission. Alongside his professional practice, Djinodji is pursuing a PhD, with research centered on the presence of China and Russia in Africa as portrayed in selected Commonwealth online media. His academic interests lie at the intersection of media, geopolitics, and discourse analysis. Earlier in his career, he taught English and authored a Master’s thesis examining the contextualization of English language teaching in Chad, reflecting a sustained engagement with educational challenges and policy.