Mahamat Deby
President
Timeline
Born on 4 April in N'Djamena.
First saw combat experience in April.
Made brigadier general and shared command during the Battle of Am Dam.
Appointed second in command of Chadian special forces in Mali; led the Battle of Ifoghas.
Appointed Director of the General Directorate of the Security Services of State Institutions (DGSSIE).
Proclaimed new leader of Chad and president of the Transitional Military Council in April.
Sworn in as transitional president, extending his rule, in October.
Sworn in as the seventh president of Chad after winning presidential elections in May.
Biography
Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, born 4 April 1984, is a Chadian politician and military officer. He served as Chad's de facto head of state and president of the Transitional Military Council from 2021, following his father's death, and then as transitional president from 2022. In 2024, he was sworn in as the seventh president of Chad after winning disputed presidential elections. A veteran of military campaigns, including in Mali, he previously held command positions within the Chadian military. International media and human rights organizations have described him as an authoritarian leader, citing repression of dissent and control of electoral institutions.
Early Life & Background
Born in N'Djamena on 4 April 1984, Mahamat Déby is the son of Idriss Déby, who was the sixth president of Chad and commander-in-chief of the Chadian Ground Forces, and a Gourane mother. He is polygamous and has three wives. His first wife is Zaghawa. His second wife, married in 2010, is Central African and the daughter of Abakar Sabone, with whom he is believed to have five children. His third wife, Dahabaya Oumar Souni, is a journalist and media advisor, considered the First Lady of Chad.
Education
Mahamat Déby enrolled at the Joint Grouping of military schools in Chad. He subsequently received military training in France, specifically at the military school of Aix-en-Provence. Upon his return, he was enrolled in the second promotion of semi direct of the school of officer inter arme.
Political & Professional Career
Mahamat Déby's career began in the military, where he served as deputy commander of an infantry group for the DGSSIE and later as its director from 2014. In April 2021, following his father's death, he was immediately proclaimed the new leader of Chad and president of the Transitional Military Council, promising an 18-month transition. In October 2022, he extended his rule, dissolving the council and being sworn in as transitional president. He announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential elections, which he won with 61% of the vote, despite disputes. He was sworn in as the seventh president on 23 May 2024.
Key Achievements & Legacy
Led Chadian forces to defeat rebels in the Battle of Am Dam in May 2009., Commanded the army in the Battle of Ifoghas in Mali in February 2013, eliminating a significant rebel base., Appointed Director of the General Directorate of the Security Services of State Institutions (DGSSIE) in 2014., Oversaw Chad's gross domestic product growth of 1.1% in 2021 and 2.4% in 2022., Signed the Doha peace agreement in August 2022, establishing a national dialogue.