Why we consider Chad a “failed state”

Chad’s state fragility is deep and multi-dimensional: decades of authoritarian rule, weak institutions, instability and conflict across border regions have severely constrained social development. In the Chad Systematic Country Diagnostic, the World Bank describes Chad as “a highly fragile country with low levels of social development and high vulnerability to regional threats.” Ethnic cleavages, concentration of power, and rentier dynamics (particularly from oil revenues) have enabled elite capture and limited accountability.

Moreover, recent analysis of the post-Déby transition warns that Chad is entering a more perilous phase of weakened legitimacy, internal repression, and heightened regional instability. The country also ranks poorly on corruption: in 2024, Chad scored 21/100 on the Corruption Perceptions Index, placing it 158th out of 180 countries, highlighting systemic patronage and cronyism.