Washington, DC - The United States notes the announcement by Chad’s Constitutional Council that President Deby Itno won re-election for a fifth term, and we applaud the Chadian people for their strong commitment to democracy as evidenced by the historic voter turnout. Their continued peaceful involvement in the political process is vital to the development of democratic institutions in the Republic of Chad. We also congratulate the political parties for their active and full participation during this election cycle and look forward to their continued involvement leading up to next year’s legislative elections.

The United States welcomes the technical improvements to the electoral process this year, including the introduction of biometric voter identification cards, and encourages the government to correct remaining deficiencies. We further call on the government to demonstrate its commitment to democracy by opening more civic and political space, which will bring greater credibility to future elections.

We are concerned about reports of abuse and kidnapping targeting opposition supporters and urge the Chadian Government to fully investigate and account for these allegations. Those found responsible for any misconduct or abuses should be brought to justice through a credible, transparent process in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Chad.