The Department of State warns Westerners of the risks of travel to Chad and recommends citizens avoid travel to eastern Chad and border regions. Westerners should be particularly vigilant when visiting hotels, restaurants, markets, and easily accessible public areas that expatriates and foreign travelers frequent. This Travel Warning replaces the Travel Warning for Chad dated June 11, 2013 to update Westerners on the current security situation in Chad.
Review all proposed travel by official personnel to areas outside of the capital, N’Djamena, and its immediate surroundings before approving such arrangements because of security concerns. Westerners affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts similarly should review security precautions and consider measures to mitigate exposure to violent crime and other threats. Westerners residing in Chad should exercise caution throughout the country. The security situation in Chad has slowly but steadily improved since the conclusion of an effective peace agreement between Sudan and Chad in early 2010. Despite recent stability, the security environment is historically volatile and could deteriorate unexpectedly.
While there are presently no known specific threats against Westerners in Chad, there are groups in the region who are intent on harming westerners and western interests. The U.S. Embassy, therefore, advises all Westerners to exercise caution and be prepared to implement their personal evacuation or safehaven plans on short notice should the situation warrant. Westerners in Chad should closely monitor news media and register with their.
Incidents of robbery, carjacking at gunpoint, and murder have been reported throughout the country. While there are no reports of kidnapping for ransom in Chad since 2010, regional trends suggest this remains a potential threat. Violence is occasionally associated with car accidents and other events that have caused injury to Chadian nationals. Robbery victims have been beaten or killed, and law enforcement and military personnel have been implicated in violent crime. In addition, armed groups may reemerge with little warning. The Government of Chad has limited means to guarantee the safety of visitors in rural Chad.
Westerners affiliated with humanitarian relief efforts in rural Chad are strongly urged to adhere closely to the policies and procedures of their host organizations to mitigate risks from violent crime. The Government of Chad requires all individuals traveling to or residing in areas hosting refugee populations in Chad to obtain movement permits issued by the Ministry of Territorial Administration in N’Djamena, and to register with the Governor’s office in Abéché upon arrival in eastern Chad. Westerners intending to enter Cameroon, Central African Republic, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, or Sudan from Chad should consult the Department’s Travel Warnings for those countries and obtain any requisite visas or travel permits prior to traveling.
Medical services in Chad are limited. Westerners entering Chad are strongly encouraged to verify their coverage extends to traveling within Chad – including medical evacuation – prior to arrival. International SOSand EuropAssistanceare two clinics in Chad that offer an international standard of care and provide medical evacuation services. The preceding information is provided for informational purposes only and in no way constitutes an endorsement, expressed or implied.