President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno made the announcement on Wednesday, July 15, while opening the African Water Forum in N'Djamena. He said Chad would "open its borders and eliminate entry visa requirements for all Africans as of Friday, January 1, 2027," describing the country as a natural crossroads linking West Africa, East Africa, and the northern and southern parts of the continent. Chad's visa-free policy takes effect on January 1, 2027. Citizens of all other African countries must continue to follow existing entry requirements until the new exemption comes into force. According to the 10th edition of the Africa Visa Openness Index, published by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission, only 28.2% of intra-African travel was visa-free in 2025.