Chadian opposition reject proposed national forum by president Idriss Deby

Chadian opposition have rejected a “National Forum” proposed by president Idriss Deby, after his contested re-election for a fifth term in April 2016.

Leader of the opposition Saleh Kebzabo said in a statement, “political parties of the opposition refuse to participate in a forum whose conclusions are already known and are far from the expectations of the working people.”

Thirty political parties met on Friday and debated at length on the government plans of a “National Forum”.

They denounced what they termed as, “the government efforts to engage in diversionary tactics while being faced by the gravity of the political, economic and social situation in the country.”

The president had hinted at reforms of state institutions during his inaugural speech in August. A technical committee has already been set up to steer the proposed “National Forum”.

A military partner of France in the fight against the terror in the Sahel region, Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Its gross domestic product has decreased significantly due to the decline in oil prices, which has led to social unrest.