Maghreb Edition

Sahel: Chad locks down its capital to confront Covid-19F



Posted On 7 May 2020

Number of times this article was read : 1387

N’Djamena, May 6, 2020 – Chad’s capital N’Djamena will be isolated from the rest of the country for two weeks from Friday to stem the spread of coronavirus, the government announced. The central African nation, one of the world’s poorest, has recorded 117 coronavirus and 10 deaths, according to an official count on Tuesday. The vast majority of these cases — 115 — were diagnosed in the capital, the health ministry said.

“The entry and exit of people in the city of N’Djamena is banned for a period of two weeks” from May 8, the government said in a decree on Wednesday. Only “vehicles transporting goods and food” are authorised to enter the city, the decree added. Inside the city, travel will be allowed until 8:00pm and wearing a mask will be mandatory from Thursday. Chad, where half of the 16 million population live in poverty, also faces a measles outbreak, with 25,500 suspected cases and 255 deaths recorded between January and November last year.

AFP

Podcast: Development Without Aid: Power, Politics, and Local Resilience in the Global South$

A conversation with Dr. Kate Schecter, President and CEO of World Neighbors, on how community-led development works in practice across the Global South.

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Mali: After Kidal, The War Comes to BamakoF

Mali’s military government lost Kidal to a joint FLA-JNIM offensive on April 26, 2026, after Russian Africa Corps personnel and Malian troops withdrew under rebel escort. The fall of the city, retaken by Bamako with Russian support in November 2023, exposes the limits of the junta’s sovereignty narrative and raises serious questions about the durability of Mali’s security model.

Mali: Russian-linked Forces Under Drone Pressure in Northern Mali$

Armed groups in northern Mali are shifting toward repeatable FPV drone strikes against Malian army and Russian-linked Africa Corps positions. Recent attacks in Anéfis and Aguelhok indicate a tactical evolution that challenges the assumption of operational sanctuary in the Kidal region.

Niger Turns to Local Self-Defense Units to Contain Growing Insecurity$

Niger has formalized local self-defense units known as Domol Leydi as violence intensifies across its borders, reflecting a shift toward community-based security in response to expanding militant activity and limited state reach.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.