III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 701 

Calling for a democratic transition in the Republic of Chad and standing 

with the people of Chad. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 11, 2022 

Mr. MENENDEZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Calling for a democratic transition in the Republic of Chad 

and standing with the people of Chad. 

Whereas the people of the Republic of Chad suffered for 

three decades under the authoritarian rule of Idriss 

Deby, whose government was characterized by human 

rights abuses, rampant corruption, gross mismanagement 

of government resources, the suppression of civil liberties 

and fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression, and internet blockages; 

Whereas President Idriss Deby impeded the ability of the 

people of Chad to change their government by violating 

constitutionally mandated presidential term limits in 

2005, repeatedly postponing legislative elections which 

were last held in 2011, arresting opposition party memVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Jul 12, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR701.IS SR701

ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 701 IS 

bers and civil society activists, and organizing presidential elections that were neither free nor fair; 

Whereas, from 2016 to 2021, authorities in Chad blocked or 

limited access to the internet for 911 days, totaling two 

and a half years, to impede the ability of Chadian citizens to criticize their government, organize public protests, hold their government accountable, monitor presidential elections, or access outside information; 

Whereas, under the constitution of Chad, upon President 

Deby’s death on April 20, 2021, power should have 

passed to the President of the National Assembly to organize new democratic elections; 

Whereas, instead of adhering to the constitution, a group of 

Chadian military officers installed President Deby’s son, 

General Mahamat Idriss Deby, as Transitional Military 

Council (TMC) president, suspended the constitution, 

and dissolved the government and National Assembly; 

Whereas the actions of Mahamat Deby and the Chadian military in April 2021 constituted a coup d’etat; 

Whereas security forces in Chad used excessive force, including live ammunition, against civilians protesting the coup 

in April and May 2021, killing at least 7 individuals, 

wounding dozens more, and arresting hundreds; 

Whereas the African Union’s Peace and Security Council expressed ‘‘grave concern’’ with the establishment of the 

TMC and stated on May 14, 2021, its ‘‘total rejection of 

any unconstitutional change of government,’’ noting the 

appointment of a prime minister and ‘‘civilian-led Transitional Government’’ but categorically asserting that no 

form of extension of the transition period beyond the 18- 

month timeline of October 22, 2022, would be acceptable, 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 701 IS 

and calling on Mahamat Deby and members of the TMC 

to commit to not contesting or taking part in elections 

transitional authorities are responsible for organizing; 

Whereas the African Union reaffirmed on August 3, 2021, 

the need for the Transitional Government to respect the 

18-month transitional timeline for elections in October 

2022 and reiterated that members of the TMC ‘‘shall not 

be eligible to be candidates for the elections at the end 

of the transition’’; 

Whereas the TMC released from jail approximately 300 people charged with crimes of opinion, terrorism, and harming the State in November 2021, in advance of a dialogue 

with armed groups in Qatar; 

Whereas the TMC and several dozen rebel groups launched 

a pre-dialogue process in Qatar in March 2022, in advance of an inclusive national civilian dialogue in Chad 

scheduled for May 2022; 

Whereas a peaceful and democratic Chad is essential for the 

stability and development of Central Africa and the 

Sahel; 

Whereas Chad faces a dire humanitarian crisis due to threats 

posed by terrorist organizations and armed groups, regional instability, climate change, food insecurity, and 

decades of internal mismanagement and corruption by 

former President Deby’s government; 

Whereas the April 2021 coup d’etat was inconsistent with the 

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which 

states that AGOA eligible countries must have established or are making continual progress toward establishing the rule of law and political pluralism; and 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 701 IS 

Whereas United States security assistance to Chad, which 

has long been prioritized over democracy, human rights, 

and development assistance, thereby contributing to the 

militarization of the former Government of Chad, should 

remain suspended until democratic elections are held and 

civilian rule is restored: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns the April 2021 military takeover 

3 in Chad as a coup d’etat; 

4 (2) stands with the people of Chad in their 

5 democratic aspirations; 

6 (3) supports the African Union’s call for transi7 tional authorities, including General Mahamat Deby 

8 and members of the TMC, to— 

9 (A) organize elections by October 22, 

10 2022, in accordance with the 18-month time11 frame articulated by the TMC; and 

12 (B) commit publicly not to stand as can13 didates in the elections they are responsible for 

14 organizing; 

15 (4) calls on General Mahamat Deby and leaders 

16 of the TMC to— 

17 (A) immediately release all of those arbi18 trarily arrested during the April–May 2021 pro19 tests; 

20 (B) ensure that security forces respect 

21 rights related to freedom of peaceful assembly 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
5 

•SRES 701 IS 

1 and expression and hold accountable security 

2 force members responsible for excessive use of 

3 force or other human rights abuses; 

4 (C) publicly commit not to run in elections; 

5 (D) abide by the 18-month transitional 

6 timeline for restoring civilian rule via free, fair, 

7 and peaceful democratic elections and return to 

8 their barracks; 

9 (E) support an inclusive national civilian 

10 dialogue by ensuring that all parties may par11 ticipate freely and openly; and 

12 (F) commit to respecting freedom of ex13 pression, opinion, the press, and access to infor14 mation to include unimpeded internet access for 

15 the people of Chad; and 

16 (5) calls on the Secretary of State to— 

17 (A) identify coup leaders and their accom18 plices and enablers working to undermine a 

19 democratic process in Chad for consideration 

20 for visa restrictions and targeted financial sanc21 tions where available; 

22 (B) state publicly that those who per23 petrate human rights abuses or works to under24 mine the democratic process in Chad, including 

25 by impeding freedoms of peaceful of assembly, 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
6 

•SRES 701 IS 

1 expression, or association, including related to 

2 press and access to information, will be held ac3 countable, which could include through visa re4 strictions and financial sanctions where avail5 able; 

6 (C) publicly urge TMC leaders to abide by 

7 the 18-month transitional timeline, restore civil8 ian rule, and publicly commit not to run as can9 didates; 

10 (D) monitor, discourage, and deter any ef11 fort by external parties to support the extension 

12 of the TMC’s mandate or otherwise delay or 

13 interfere with the restoration of civilian rule via 

14 free, fair, and peaceful democratic elections; 

15 (E) coordinate with other Federal depart16 ments and agencies to— 

17 (i) suspend non-humanitarian bilateral 

18 assistance to the Government of Chad, in19 cluding security assistance, until civilian 

20 rule is restored via free, fair, and peaceful 

21 democratic elections; 

22 (ii) prioritize support for an inclusive 

23 civilian national dialogue by ensuring the 

24 participation of opposition party members, 

25 civil society leaders, women, and youth; 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
7 

•SRES 701 IS 

1 (iii) prioritize support for a free, fair, 

2 and peaceful electoral process by working 

3 with electoral authorities, political party 

4 representatives, and members of civil soci5 ety in Chad; 

6 (iv) support, as appropriate, efforts to 

7 draft a new constitution; 

8 (v) ensure that the United States bi9 lateral policy towards Chad is fully aligned 

10 with the broader policy for the Sahel called 

11 for in the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism 

12 Partnership Program Act of 2022 (division 

13 AA of Public Law 117–103); and 

14 (vi) ensure future assistance is appro15 priately balanced between defense, diplo16 macy, and development; and 

17 (F) direct the Department of the Treasury 

18 to use the voice and vote of the United States 

19 in international financial institutions to ensure 

20 there is a mechanism for civil society to have 

21 input into the development and oversight of 

22 programs and activities being funded, and that 

23 support provided through such instructions 

24 prioritize the restoration of civilian rule, includVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:13 Jul 12, 2022 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR701.IS SR701

ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS
8 

•SRES 701 IS 

1 ing through free, fair, and peaceful democratic 

2 elections. 

Æ 


ctelli on DSK11ZRN23PROD with BILLS