(UN Photo/Cia Pak)     Idriss Deby Itno, President of the Republic of Chad, addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly’s General Debate. (25 September 2019)

DIPLOMATIC  TIMES  STAFF  REPORT

UNITED  NATIONS –  NEW  YORK  –    Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed the UN’s solidarity with Chad following the sudden  death of the country’s leader, announced on Tuesday.  Idriss  Déby, 68, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, first came to power in an armed uprising in 1990.  The late president’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, 37, a four-star general, will  assume power of the  north-central Africa.  The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of his death, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement

“Mr. Guterres has expressed his profound condolences to the President’s family, and to the people and Government of Chad.  President Déby Itno was a key partner for the United Nations and made significant contributions to regional stability, particularly as part of efforts to combat terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime in the Sahel”, the statement said.  In these difficult times, the United Nations stands with the Chadian people in their efforts to build a peaceful and prosperous future.” 

President Déby, 68, had been in power for more than three decades.  The announcement of his death came a day after provisional results of elections held on 11 April showed he would win a sixth term in office.

The President of the UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, has also expressed his condolences to the people of Chad.

“The President said he would soon convene a General Assembly meeting to pay tribute to Mr. Deby’s memory,” his Spokesperson, Brenden Varma, said during his daily briefing from New York. 

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