Chadian President Idriss Deby met with his Sudanese counterpart Omar Hassan al-Bashir in Khartoum this week in what could be a breakthrough moment in the easing of relations between the two countries.
The two have announced that they will work towards peace within their troubled border areas. Chad has long-accused its eastern neighbor of granting safe harbor to opposition militias, and Sudan claims Chad supports certain Darfuri rebel groups. Another round of Darfur peace talks are under way in Doha, although no breakthrough has yet been announced.
Analysts suggest that the sudden change of heart between the two leaders is due to the political realities facing each president in upcoming elections. Sudan’s polls are set to take place in only two months, and Chad’s vote is scheduled for 2011. Whether or not the commitments from the two leaders will result in any immediate tangible change on the ground is not yet clear.
