Courting Macron? Orbán helps Chad, one of the world’s poorest and least democratic countries

Hungary supports Chad, one of the poorest and most autocratic states in the world with soldiers, a development centre, and even a model farm. What for? The connection may be Hungary’s developing ties with France.

We wrote in THIS article that Germany’s new political leadership no longer regards Hungary as a great ally as much as it did during the Merkel era. During their last summit, Scholz and Orbán did not hold a joint press conference and Orbán did not receive a military parade like close friends do. The frozen German-Hungarian political relationship does not mean that Hungary does not serve as the backyard of Germany’s economy, but the ties are slowly shrinking. Therefore, Orbán searched for new allies in Europe and found President Macron. Their developing friendship happens despite the fact that a government-close oligarch’s bank supported the presidential campaign of Marine Le Pen with preferential loans.

Surprising Hungarian help for one of Africa’s poorest, Chad

That developing relationship between France and Hungary might be the cause behind Hungary’s unique support towards an autocratic regime in Africa: Chad.

According to g7.hu, Hungary launched an unprecedented aid program for Chad, one of the most underdeveloped states in the world. 200 Hungarian soldiers will go there this spring out of the 800 soldiers serving abroad (500 in Kosovo, we wrote about them HERE). The Chad mission will precede the Bosnian (160) and the Iraqi (130).

Here is a video of the Hungary helps program in Chad:

Chad mission:

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, Hungary’s defence minister, said the reason behind the military operation is to help stabilise the autocratic regime. Otherwise, the Sahel region’s destabilisation would continue, and millions of people would leave their homelands.

Furthermore, Hungary will open a humanitarian and development centre in the capital, N’Djamena. Moreover, the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE) will create a model farm and a knowledge centre in the country to help local food production. They will test irrigation technologies because drought, lack of water and poverty are everyday challenges. Meanwhile, a ministerial commissioner will be responsible for the Hungarian programs carried out in the Sahel region.

Chad is one of the last French allies in the region. Other countries, also under anti-democratic leadership, already turned to Russia.