Chad has been governed by a Transitional Military Council since President Idriss Deby’s death in April 2021, succeeded by his son Mahamat Idriss Deby, and a 2024 constitutional referendum has set elections in motion without yet fully settling the political picture. For a repatriation case, though, the more immediate question is not the politics. It’s the map.
N’Djamena works. Large parts of the country don’t.
Administrative processes in N’Djamena are functional under the transitional government, and cases originating there can move through the system. Northern Chad, the Tibesti and Borkou regions, is a different story entirely, as is the eastern border with Sudan, where the Sudanese conflict has spilled across directly, bringing armed group activity and a refugee crisis that has stretched local infrastructure well past its normal limits. Southern border areas near the Central African Republic carry similar constraints.
No resident Embassy
British consular coverage for Chad comes from Yaounde, Cameroon, not from anyone based in N’Djamena. The Embassy registers the death for UK purposes and gives an honest picture of current conditions, but the physical distance adds a coordination layer that a resident post would not require.
French civil law, with a military-era twist
Death registration runs through the etat civil, in French, with the death certificate, the acte de deces, issued once cause of death is certified. Non-natural deaths bring in the Police Nationale Tchadienne, and where a magistrate review is required, the Tribunal correctionnel provides clearance. Under transitional military authority, this step can move slower and less predictably than it would under an established civilian government, which is worth setting expectations around from the start.
Ethiopian Airlines is the reliable option
Once the Ministry of Public Health export permit is issued, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa is currently the steadiest route for UK-bound cargo. Air France’s direct N’Djamena-Paris CDG service and Royal Air Maroc via Casablanca are both viable alternatives depending on the schedule at the time.
What we can offer
We know precisely which parts of Chad a case can realistically be managed from, and we don’t overstate what’s achievable outside them.
Read about how airline cargo costs are typically structured for a repatriation case, or see the full Chad repatriation guide for the complete picture.
Contact Repatriate Service on +44 7703 577246 at any hour, or use the enquiry form below.