French president Macron expected in Chad for Déby's funeral

Elysee Palace, the French presidency on Wednesday confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron will attend the funeral of Chad’s President Idriss Déby on Friday, April 23.

The Chadian military announced on Tuesday that Déby, 68, had died in battle against rebels in the country's north.

Macron described Deby as a “brave friend” and “a great soldier”.

He had been in charge of the central African country for three decades and like most Francophone African leaders, was a strong ally of France, especially in the area of the fight against terrorism.

His son, Mahamat Idris Deby has been installed head of a transition government that will be in charge fior the next eighteen months till polls are next held.

The oposition have rejected the move as a constitutional coup even as the National Assembly has accepted the dissolution of the house under the circumstance, its leader was constitutionally expected to be sworn in as interim president till polls are held.