CHAD: Plea to CEMAC for funds to rebuild destroyed capital

Chad is seeking funds from the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) to repair parts of the capital, N’djamena, which were destroyed in fighting that pitted government troops against invading rebel forces in early February, the country's minister of state for agriculture, Haroun Kabadi, said.

"Calm has returned to N'djamena. However, we saw a lot of destruction in the city. Several public buildings were destroyed and cannot be used," Kabadi told reporters in Brazzaville on 21 February after meeting the Republic of Congo's President Denis Sassou Nguesso. Congo holds CEMAC's rotating presidency.

"It is in this context that we have come to meet President Sassou Nguesso so that CEMAC can make its contribution to the rehabilitation work that we have undertaken," he added.

According to Kabadi, buildings housing the national assembly, the Supreme Court, and several ministries, including the departments of oil and education, were burned by the rebels.

Congo and Libya have been nominated by the African Union to mediate between the Chadian government and the rebels. Both countries have sent military observers to Chad.