Chad

History of Relations | Diplomatic Representation | Safety and Security | Travel Info | Health Requirements | Climate Info | Currency Info | Trade Info | Visits and Meetings | Agreements | Interest Groups/ Organisations

History of Relations

Official relations between South Africa and the Republic of Chad were established only on 21 October 1994. The South African Ambassador in Gabon presented his credentials as non-resident Ambassor to Chad, to President Idriss Deby on 20 August 1999.

Diplomatic Representation

South African Representation in Chad

The South African has a representative office in N'djamena in the Hotel Sahel.

Mission: South African Office, N'djamena

The South African High Commissioner to Yaounde, Cameroon, H E Dr SS Ripinga is accredited to CHAD on a non-residential basis.

Mr G J du Preez is Charge d'Affairs a. i. and resides in Ndjamena, Chad

South African Embassy

Office hours (GMT +1):

Chad Representation in South Africa

None as yet. Indications are that Chad wishes to establish physical representation in South Africa in the near future.

Safety and Security

The border area with Sudan's Darfur in the east is not stable due to rebel activity and large number of refugees from Darfur. There are also refugees in the south from Central African Republic.

Travel Info

Travellers should avoid conflict areas such as the Southeast where there is a lot of rebel activity, banditry and an influx of refugees from neighbouring CAR and Sudan.

Air travel

There are no direct flights from SA to Chad. Connections can be made via Nairobi and Douala with Kenya airways and Toumai Air Chad via Adis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines.

Visa requirements for South Africans

South Africans require visas for Chad. Unfortunately Chadian visas are not issued in South Africa. They can be obtained at the Chadian Embassies in France, Ethiopia or Cameroon. The contact address for the Chadian Embassy in Paris is:

65 Rue des Belles Feuilles
75116 Paris

Tel: +33 (0) 1 45 53 36 75
Fax: +33 (0) 1 45 53 16 09
Email: tchad@chello.be

The Embassy of Chad in Cameroon can be contacted on
And the Chadian Embassy in Cameroon on 09 237 221 0624

Health Requirements

Immunisation against hepatitis A and hepatitis B is strongly recommended before departure from South Africa, especially for visits of extended periods. Furthermore, Chad is considered malaria-endemic and special precautions should also be taken for cholera, typhoid, poliomyelitis measles, Hepatitis E and meningitis. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is compulsory for all visitors.

Polio booster is recommended but not for the immunodeficient. Meningitis vaccine is also recommended. HIV risk is HIGH.

For further information go to Travelers' Health.

Climate Info

Chad's climate is determined by two large masses of air, one being the dry, hot continental air mass -the Harmattan- bringing winds from the eastern and north-eastern Sahara. The other mass -the Mousson- is unstable, equatorial, humid and relatively cooler, bringing winds from the south-east.

This, and the Chadian geography, have created three climatic zones in Chad:

        The subtropical zone : in the equatorial rain belt to the south, with a dry season between November and May and a rainy season from May to October;

       The Sahelian zone : in the central region, which has a longer dry season and a brief rainy season between June and September; and

        The desert or Saharan zone: in the northern region, with a hot and arid desert climate and practically no rainfall.     

For up-to-date weather information click here.

Currency Info

The monetary unit is the CFA Franc, which is a regional currency under the control of the Bank of Central African States (Banque des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale, or BEAC). The rate of exchange was on a fixed rate with French Franc but is now on a fixed exchange rate with the Euro, namely 1 Euro = 656 CFA (655 957 ) no ( + - )

For current exchange rates click here.

State and Official Visits / Bilateral Meetings

• November 2004 Minister Dlamini-Zuma visit to Chad with Deputy Ministers of Minerals and Energy and Trade and Industry
• April 2005: Minister of Minerals and Energy Mlambo-Ngcuka visit to Chad
• April 2005: visit to SA by Chadian delegation to explore posssibitities of opening a mission in Pretoria
  

Bilateral Agreements

Trade Info

For current information on trade statistics between South Africa and Chad, visit the web site of the Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa

Interest Groups and Information

N'Djamena Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Chambre de Commerce et de l'Industrie de N'Djamena)

BP 458
N'Djamena
Chad
Tel: +235-525264
Fax: +235-527108