1 Chad Country Profile

Generic Information

Chad is a vast, landlocked country in north-central Africa, with a population of 17.9 million. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon, Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west. Chad is divided into multiple regions: a desert zone in the North, an arid Sahelian belt in the center and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the South. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the second-largest wetland in Africa. Chad is home to over 200 ethnic and linguistic groups, the official languages are Arabic and French, and the main religions practiced are Islam (55.1%) and Christianity (41.1%). Chad’s economy remains heavily dependent on extractive industries, primarily oil, and unprocessed agricultural commodities, which leaves the country vulnerable to external factors, such as world oil prices, food prices, and drought. Chad’s investment climate remains challenging and infrastructure, including transportation and telecommunications, is underdeveloped or outdated. Skilled labor is limited and companies that try to bring experts for projects face strict limits on the employment of foreigners.

Source: Wikipedia (publisher), Chad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad Date Accessed: 15 Nov 2022

Chad Generic Information Links:

Chad Wikipedia Country Information

Chad IMF Country Information

Chad CIA World Factbook Country Information

Chad Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) Country Information*

(*Note: This is a paid service.)

Humanitarian Information Links:

Chad World Food Programme Information

Chad UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Information

Chad UNOCHA Relief Web Information

Chad USAID Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs (BHA) Information

Facts and Figures Links:

Chad Wolfram Alpha Information

Chad World Bank Information

Chad World Population Review Information

Chad United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Information

Chad - 1.1 Chad Humanitarian Background

Overview

Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 190th out of 191 in the Human Development Index and 117th of 121 in the Global Hunger Index (2022). Within this context of poverty and stalled development, Chad faces interconnected humanitarian crises. The country hosts large refugee and IDP populations. It, is extremely vulnerable to climate change stressors, faces severe levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, and remains politically fragile because of conflict within its borders and in neighboring countries. The compounding of these challenges has led to a large need for humanitarian assistance. OCHA’s 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) highlighted that more than one in three people in Chad (5.5 million) need humanitarian assistance. Despite significant efforts by humanitarian actors to fulfill assistance requirements, only 42% of the 510.9 million USD required for humanitarian funding needs in 2022 were received.

Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Type	Occurs	Comments / Details
Drought	Yes	Drought is endemic to Chad. The Sahelian-Saharan region experiences periodic drought preceding the rainy season (April to June), when it is generally hot and dry. With climate change, Chad has become trapped within a vicious cycle of severe drought followed by severe flooding (as experienced in 2022). Prolonged droughts, due to the lack of arable land, often lead to heightened food insecurity in the East, Sahel, and Sahara areas. In the 2022 lean season, an estimated 2.1 million people were severely food insecure.
Earthquakes	No	N/A
Epidemics	Yes	Chad has experienced outbreaks of Cholera, Measles, Hepatitis E, Typhoid, Polio, Meningitis, and Malaria in recent years. The risk to contract an infectious disease is severely high. Malaria is the main cause for mortality of children less than 5 years old and remains a serious public health challenge. Per 2022 estimates, 1,700 people die of malaria each year. Chad’s proximity to Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Sudan , and Nigeria, makes the risk of transmission of disease across borders high.
Extreme Temperatures	Yes	Chad constantly experiences high temperatures. Typically, extreme heat occurs during the dry season in the North. In Faya-Largeau, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Chad (47.6 C) was experienced in 2010. In April 2023, temperatures are expected to reach as high as 44 C across the country.
Flooding	Yes	The prevalence of flooding continues to intensify in Chad. During the rainy season, the risk of flooding is incredibly high because of the preceding intense dry season. In 2022, the floods were the worst the country has experienced in 3 decades. Approximately 1.06 million people in 18 provinces were impacted by the floods. In the capital (N’Djamena) alone, some 100,000 people have been displaced.
Insect Infestation	Yes	Like other Sahelian and East African countries, Chad deals with locust infestations annually. Typically, infestations begin towards the end of the dry season (mid-June to July) and last throughout the wet season. In 2022, low numbers of hoppers and solitarious adults were recorded in Chad. In addition to locusts, other crop eating insects like weevils and mites are common.
Mudslides	No	Although there are not mudslides, mass running water (known as Ouadi) accumulates during the wet season. Sometimes, Ouadi can cause damage to infrastructure, block transportation pathways, and lead to the kick up of debris (like a mudslide). The start of the great rains prevents not only the use of trucks but also reconditioning operations, loading, and unloading of foodstuffs.
Volcanic Eruptions	No	N/A
High Waves / Surges	Yes	High winds are relatively common in the Lake Chad region. When the winds pick up, high waves and surges threaten the livelihoods of those who live on the shores of the lake. The dwindling of the lake has led to the development of settlements close to the actual body of water.
Wildfires	No	N/A
High Winds	Yes	High winds and dust storms are relatively common in the Lake Chad basin because of the dwindling of the lake. Although there is a debate over the reasons for the disappearance of the lake, its ’s shrinking gives way to winds and dust storms. In other regions of Chad, high winds are not as commonplace.
Other Comments	Chad is perhaps the single most vulnerable country to climate change in the entire world. Climate studies suggest that temperatures will continue to increase while rainfall decreases. Rapid desertification, whether through climate change or pastoralist practices, will continue to put pressure on the livelihoods of rural peoples.
Man-Made Issues
Civil Strife	Yes	Most recently, Chadian society was shocked by the death of President Idriss Déby Itno while visiting forces fighting against rebels from the Front for Change and Concord in Chad (FACT) in 2021. Déby’s death led to the formation of a military transition council which is run by Déby’s son, Mahamat Idriss Déby. Uncertainty about future governance led to public demonstrations in 2022 which resulted in multiple causalities. Chad has experienced political instability of this type in the past. Demonstrations to contest political decisions or elections are not rare in Chad. On such occasions, cases of deaths and arrests by security armed police are sometimes reported. Other factors which contribute to civil strife include: Conflict between farmers and pastoralists over land tenure as a source of armed conflict especially in the South, Eastern, and Sahel regions. Rising prices of food and petroleum products. Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Chad. There is a threat of retaliatory attacks from terrorist organizations following the French intervention in Mali and Chad’s involvement in the regional fight to counter Boko Haram. Armed robberies, particularly from cars in residential areas of N’Djamena, are common.
International Conflict	Yes	In addition to civil wars and internal fighting, Chad has been both involved in international conflicts (such as the Chadian-Libyan war) and a location for refuge from conflicts in other places. Chad is home to Sudanese refugees in the East and Central African Republic and Cameroonian refugees in the South. The Lake Chad region has also become an area of intense conflict because of the presence of Boko Haram, government operations to contain them, and an influx internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees from Nigeria.
Internally Displaced Persons	Yes	As of October 31st, 2022, there were 381,289 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in Chad. The majority of the IDP settlements within Chad are in the Lac region near Lake Chad.
Refugees Present	Yes	As of October 31st, 2022, there were 576,645 refugees living in Chad. Most of these refugees (394,666 people or 68% of the refugee population) come from Sudan. In addition to Sudanese refugees, there are refugee populations from Central African Republic (124,491 people), Cameroon (35,907 people), Nigeria (20,257 people), the Democratic Republic of Congo (261 people), and an unspecified origin (1,063 people).
Landmines / UXO Present	Yes	Decades of conflict with Libya have left Chad with a landmine and UXO problem. Some estimates suggest that there could be as many as 1 million landmines in Chad. According to the Chadian military, however, there are approximately 10,000 mines in Aouzou; 2,000 in Zouar; 31,000 in Wour; 10,000 in Oudi Doum; 2,000 in Fada; 5,000 in Ounianga-Kabir and 10,000 in other locations. The “Commissariat National au Deminage’’ is Chad’s government agency dedicated to mine clearance. According to the Commission’s website, there are currently 6 demining projects underway for 2022-2023.

For more information see links below:

Commissariat National au Deminage

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile.

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Seasonal Effects on Transport
Transport Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Primary Road Transport	June-September	Chad is a large exporter of crude petroleum (1.19 billion USD in 2020) so some transport routes in Chad are relatively developed. For example, the route from the capital, Ndjamena, to Abeche is comprised of asphalt. However, most of the roads outside Ndjamena are found in poor condition during the rainy season. The heavy rains, often concentrated in the south, leave the region flooded and isolated from other parts of the country making transport and commerce difficult.
Secondary Road Transport	June- September	There are unpaved often unnamed roads throughout Chad. Secondary roads are typically those that lead to smaller communities in rural areas and are maintained by local authorities. In some cases, the status of the road changes based on weather conditions. During the rainy season, most unpaved roads are impassable for trucks with commodity shipments. It is for this reason that humanitarian agencies will pre-position commodities prior to the rainy season in tactical warehouse locations throughout the country. Given the difficulties associated with access during this time, a special fee for transporting humanitarian cargo to distribution points in the localities of the East and South is charged by transporters.
Rail Transport	N/A	Chad does not currently have rail capacity. The closest rail access point is in Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
Air Transport	June-September	In Chad, there is one primary airport and numerous secondary and tertiary airports. Typically, the primary airport (N’djamena International) is operational year-round. However, secondary airports and tertiary airport operations are more weather dependent. During the rainy season, some airports around the country cannot be used because of flooding or shutdown runways because of heavy rains.
Waterway Transport	June- September	There is limited waterway transport within Chad. During the dry season, water transport is non-existent. During the wet season, the Chadian waterway transport system consists of two rivers in the south, the Chari and Logone. The Chari runs about 1200 Km from the southeast to the Lake Chad region. While the Logone runs about 1000 km from north to south where it meets the Mbere river and enters Cameroon.

Geographically, Chad is divided into three geographical zones: the Sahara Desert (north), Sahelian Belt (center), and Sudanian Savannah (south). There are only two seasons: the wet and dry seasons. Each year, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) crosses Chad from north to south resulting in a rainy season. In the north, the rains typically last from June to September and in the South from May to October. During the rainy season, in both regions, roads are often blocked, impassable, or dangerous because of inadequate drainage infrastructure. Therefore, logistic capacities are severely limited during this period.

Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling
Activity Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Storage	October- May (dry season) June-September (wet season)	In Chad, the combination of intense heat and wind during the dry season followed by heavy rains during the wet season can have a negative impact on some forms of commodity storage. Typically, permanent warehouses can withstand seasonal changes without extensive damages to the dwelling or the stock. Mobile storage units (MSUs), however, are particularly vulnerable to seasonal changes and oftentimes take severe damage throughout the year. During the dry season (October-May), the East (ranging from Ennedi to Ouaddi) and Lac regions experience extreme heat and high winds which lead to a serious weakening of the MSU’s structural integrity. With the start of the rainy season (June-September), MSUs are particularly vulnerable to taking on damage and losses because of the intensity of the rains and the lack of structural integrity after the dry season.
Handling	June- September	Bulk/break-bulk commodity handling and offloading is frequently stopped during the rainy season. For shipments during the wet season, organizations will typically receive containerized consignments. Handling of bulk and break-bulk commodities during this period leads to infestation and losses.

Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling

Activity Type

Time Frame

Comments / Details

Storage

October- May (dry season)

June-September (wet season)

In Chad, the combination of intense heat and wind during the dry season followed by heavy rains during the wet season can have a negative impact on some forms of commodity storage. Typically, permanent warehouses can withstand seasonal changes without extensive damages to the dwelling or the stock. Mobile storage units (MSUs), however, are particularly vulnerable to seasonal changes and oftentimes take severe damage throughout the year. During the dry season (October-May), the East (ranging from Ennedi to Ouaddi) and Lac regions experience extreme heat and high winds which lead to a serious weakening of the MSU’s structural integrity. With the start of the rainy season (June-September), MSUs are particularly vulnerable to taking on damage and losses because of the intensity of the rains and the lack of structural integrity after the dry season.

Handling

June- September

Bulk/break-bulk commodity handling and offloading is frequently stopped during the rainy season. For shipments during the wet season, organizations will typically receive containerized consignments. Handling of bulk and break-bulk commodities during this period leads to infestation and losses.

Storage and handling activities are heavily influenced by the time of the year in Chad. During the wet season, which typically ranges from June to September, heavy rains make some storage facilities inaccessible (especially those in the South and East of Chad). In addition, bulk/break-bulk commodity shipments during this period are prone to infestation and losses. To avoid wet season bottlenecks, it is necessary to pre-stock warehouses and halt bulk/break-bulk handling and offloading operations.

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The Chadian government has several commissions and committees in place that are mandated to respond to emergencies. The commissions and committees working in the humanitarian emergency space fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Land Administration.

Commissions and Committees:

National Committee for Flood Disaster Assistance (CONASI)

CONASI’s mandate is to help victims of floods, through resource mobilization and raising awareness. CONASI typically communicates with embassies, NGOs, and private operators to obtain contributions.

National Commission for the Reception and Reintegration of Refugees (CNARR)

CNARR is mandated by the Chadian Government to promote the protection and security of refugees and IDPs in Chad. CNARR oftentimes engages directly with UNHCR, OCHA, and other agencies or NGOs. Its tasks include:

Assessment and improvement of the living conditions of refugees, displaced and repatriated peoples;
Raising awareness about the state of refugees and IDPs in Chad ;
Organizing the hosting of refugees and expatriated people in Chad;
Helping refugees according to financial capacities (using national or international organizations if needed).

Action Committee for Food Security and Crisis Management (CASAGC)

Unlike CONASI and CNARR, CASAGC is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture. CASAGC coordinates closely with UNHCR and WFP to deploy food assistance in the case of emergency or high-risk areas. CASAGC is active in all regions of Chad.

National Demining Commission

The commission is charged with determining risk areas and clearing them with assistance from international partners.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Chad Government Contact List

Humanitarian Community

The Humanitarian community is very active in Chad. Currently, UN agencies, national/international NGOs, government entities, and non-profits operate in a variety of sectors throughout the 23 provinces. As of August 2022, there were 885 operational humanitarian programs. Of those 885 programs, 244 are provided by 11 UN agencies present in Chad.

Detailed information on current humanitarian programming can be found in the link below: Chad: Operational Presence - Humanitarian Data Exchange (humdata.org).

The humanitarian community has formed the International Humanitarian Logistics Working Group in Chad (LWG) under the facilitation of WFP. The group holds community wide meetings that establish good logistical coordination between organizations in humanitarian responses and information sharing. In 2022, a total of 6 meetings were held.

For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Chad Humanitarian Agency Contact List

1.2 Chad Regulatory Departments

In Chad, there are number of government agencies that are responsible for administering licensing and regulating capacity. The list below, although it is not exhaustive, identifies some of the key regulatory departments in the government of Chad.

Chad Downstream Petroleum Sector Regulatory Authority: Ministry of Energy and Petrol (ARSAT)

ARSAT is responsible for controlling the quality and quantity of petroleum products at the refinery level. In practice, ARSAT must regulate and monitor standards of refineries, stations, and points of sale deposits. Also, ARSAT has the constitutional duty to maintain the inventory and security of strategic stocks.

Chad Livestock Research Institute for Development: Ministry of Agriculture (IRED)

IRED is the premiere livestock research institute in Chad. IRED analyzes and maintains quality control of the biological factors of food for human consumption. Chad is Africa’s 4th largest producer of livestock with over 100 million heads as of 2018. Despite the importance of livestock in the Chadian economy, Chad currently has no functional industrial slaughterhouses and makes limited use of valued-added animal products.

Electronic Communication Regulation Authority (ARCEP): Ministry of Technology and Communication

ARCEP conducts market analysis and publishes information for the regulation of telecommunications tools to provide relevant data to investors and organizations.

Chadian Water Agency: Ministry of the Environment

The water agency collects information on the quality of water being distributed and ensures that the beneficiaries of the water service are informed on developments of the agency.

Chad’s only food testing and quality control organization is the Center for Quality Control of Foodstuffs (CECOQDA). CECOQDA conducts testing on items ranging from food commodities to water. The agency is equipped to conduct both microbiological and physio-chemical tests and is mandated to do conduct pre-shipment inspection at the border. Despite this mandate, CECOQDA mainly tests and inspects products within Chadian borders and does not engage as much in pre-shipment inspection at border areas.

The Directorate of Plant Protection (DPVC) is the government’s primary agency concerned with phytosanitary regulations. DPVC regulates all agricultural commodities nationally (imports and exports) and controls for plant disease and infestation.

The Chadian Standards Agency (ATNOR) is the government body concerned with the development and implementation of national standards. As a National Standards Body (NSB) and conformity assessment body, ATNOR's mission is to contribute to the development and implementation of government policy in the field of standardization and quality in Chad. To this end, it is responsible for:

The development, publication, and dissemination of national standards;

The approval of international standards;

Centralization and coordination of standardization work;

Training and awareness in the fields of standardization;

Certification of conformity to standards;

Promotion of standards to public and private sector organizations;

Cooperation with international organizations and specialized committees in the field of standardization;

Conducting studies related to standardization and developing proposals for measures to improve the quality of products and services, and compliance with standards;

Management of the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Enquiry Point and the National Codex Alimentarius Committee.

ATNOR is administered by two governing bodies, the board of directors and a general management.

For more information on regulatory departments and quality, please see the following link:

4.1 Chad Government Contact List

Chad - 1.3 Chad Customs Information

Duties and Tax Exemption

Economic Background

In 2020, Chad operated at a positive trade balance. The total value of Chadian exports and imports was 1.5 and 1.01$ billion respectively. The trade mix is mainly the result of Chadian exports of Crude Petroleum (79% of the export mix). Despite a positive trade balance, most of the goods purchased in Chad are imported. Chad does not have quantitative restrictions on imports, tariff protections, or import licensing requirements. Norms usually follow French/European standards and ISO 9000 series of standards. Tariffs for imports are levied at the common external tariff (CET) amount by the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC). On average, the CET equates to 18.1%. Additional duties and taxes levied at the border increase the tax burden. Non-tariff barriers to trade and a high tax burden have led to the creation of informal markets. Chadian exporters face similar constraints. Export taxes for agricultural goods, livestock products, and live cattle, for example, can reach as high as 13%.

Tax Regime

In Chad, the Value-added tax (VAT) is 18% on all taxable operations and 9% on local products such as cement, sugar, oil, soap, textiles, concrete, and iron. Some essential goods like medicine, milk, meat, poultry, flour, rice, sorghum, and products for public administration are exempted from VAT. For exports and their related international transportation, there is 0% VAT tax. Customs duties range from 5% to 30% depending on the nature of the good (as seen below).

Goods of necessity: 5%
Raw materials and goods of equipment: 10%
Intermediate and miscellaneous goods: 20%

Consumer goods: 30%

Emergency Response:

[Note: This section contains information which is related and applicable to ‘crisis’ times. These instruments can be applied when an emergency is officially declared by the Government.  When this occurs, there is usually a streamlined process to import goods duty and tax free.]

Agreements / Conventions Description	Ratified by Chad? (Yes / No)
WCO (World Customs Organization) member	Yes, 16/02/2005
Annex J-5 Revised Kyoto Convention	Yes, 17/04/2008
OCHA Model Agreement	Yes
Tampere Convention (on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations)	Yes, signed 20 Oct 1999 but not ratified
Regional Agreements (on emergency/disaster response, but also customs unions, regional integration)	Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) World Trade Organization (WTO)

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response): 

[Note: This section should contain information on the usual duties & taxes exemption regime during non-emergency times, when there is no declared state of emergency and no streamlines process (e.g. regular importations/development/etc.).]

Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status
United Nations Agencies
A letter of understanding regarding duties & taxes exemptions is signed between UN agencies and the Chadian government for each project. The request is submitted to the Immunities, Privileges, Acts and Protocoled Documents section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and African Integration.
Non-Governmental Organizations
NGOs arriving in Chad must sign a draft agreement (protocole d’accord) with the Ministry of Economy after receiving approval from the Committee for the Coordination of the Activities of NGOs (CICA) and the Ministry of the Interior. A new NGO must explain its reasoning for working in Chad and provide some documentation on the organization (legal status, rules and regulations, documentation on activities in other countries and partners). An agreement is valid for 3 years after which it must be renewed. Renewal will be done based on an evaluation by the Ministry of Planning and Economy’s NGO Oversight Committee (DONG). Each organization must submit a detailed project document and receive approval from the relevant ministry and customs department. The agreement is then signed between DONG and the NGO. Projects are validated according to Chadian government policy, technical feasibility, and viability. After a one-week validation period, the agreement is signed by Ministry of Planning and Economy. During the contracted agreement period, DONG will conduct a mid-term and a final evaluation which should be budgeted for by the NGO. NGOs will be charged the following fees related to DONG’s evaluation: President: 50,000 CFA Reporter: 45,000 CFA Technical Representative: 40,000 CFA Customs Contact Details: Nadjibaye Doural Customs Inspector Telephone: (+235) 66 48 96 50 66 24 55 38 90 84 95 83

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure

Duties and Taxes Exemption Application Procedure
Generalities (include a list of necessary documentation)
The customs office is linked to the Ministry of Finance. NGOs or UN Agencies can receive total or partial exemptions of duties and taxes according to article 332 of the CEMAC Customs Code. To fill out an application, the organization must follow the same procedure outlined in the “Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status” section above.
Process to be followed (step by step or flowchart)
UN Agencies: Signing of United Nations Agencies Convention between UN Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Detailed Project Plan and request for exemption is submitted to Ministry of Foreign Affairs Once approved, a letter of understanding regarding duties & taxes exemptions is signed between UN agency and the Chadian government. NGO: NGO must submit its reasoning for requesting an exemption (legal status, rules and regulations, documentation on activities in other countries and partners) The documentation must be received and reviewed from the relevant ministry and Customs department. After the documentation is reviewed, the relevant ministry will send along the documents to the Ministry of Planning and Economy. After a one-week validation period, the agreement is signed by Ministry of Planning and Economy.

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements:

Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificate Document Requirements (by commodity)
	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicle & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
Invoice	Yes, Original, applies to UN	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, Original
Packing Lists	No	No	No	No	No	Yes, Original
Other Documents	Phytosanitary Certificate (Original)	N/A	Phytosanitary Certificate (Original)	N/A	N/A	N/A

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Chad’s Customs Department (Douane) is composed of seven distinct districts throughout the country. In total, there are 31 full-service offices (known as Bureau de Plein), 32 secondary offices (Bureau Secondaire), and 58 border control posts (Postes de Control). Despite a functioning customs department, the free movement of goods and services is limited.

Chad is a member of both CEMAC and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Additionally, Chad is a ratifying member of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) as of 2018. Although COVID-19 has slowed the progression of the elimination of tariffs on most goods and services, there is continued hope that AfCTA will positively impact Chad’s economic activity.

Humanitarian goods imported by NGOs or UN agencies can benefit from a total or partial exemption from duties and taxes according to agreements signed with the Chadian government. To obtain a certificate of exemption from duties and taxes in Chad, an organization must have a waybill/bill of lading, certificate of origin, invoice or gift certificate/non-commercial invoice, a consignment note, and the packing list. With these documents, the organization must then prepare a request for exemption which must be signed and sent for approval to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (if UN) or to the Ministry of Economy and Planning (for NGOs) and finally validated by the Director General of Customs. The procedure for requesting duty and tax exemptions is the same for food and non-food products and generally takes seven to ten days.

Customs Information
Document Requirements	Invoice, Waybill, Convention or Agreement with the Government of Chad, Authorization to Import, Transit Document (D15), copy of Project Agreement (for NGO’s)
Embargoes	N/A
Prohibited Items	· Arms and munitions · Pornography · Narcotics · Illicit drugs and explosives · Charcoal · Plastic bags (There is currently a ban on single use plastic bags in N’Djamena. This does not refer to sacs used for in-kind commodities)
General Restrictions	Live animals require vaccination and must be accompanied by international or national proof of vaccination

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Prior to importing goods into Chad, the following documents must be filled out and submitted to the Ministry of Economy, Commerce, and Tourism:

Commercial Invoice: All invoices must contain the names of the exporter(s), consignee(s), the product name(s), quantity of each unit, declared value of each unit, gross weight, net weight, and total declared value. There should be approximately four invoice copies preferably in French.

Certificate of Origin: The certificate of origin must be issued or notarized and certified by an official Chamber of Commerce in the country of the product’s origin, or by the local Chadian branch of the foreign Chamber of Commerce.  If applicable, the Chadian consulate in the manufacturing country could authenticate the certificate of origin. Two copies are required, preferably in French or other language with the French translation.

Packing list: Packing lists should include the number and quantity per carton and be in numeric series. A packing list is not required, but without it, customs clearance may be delayed.

Bill of lading/Air waybill: Documents should include the name and address of the consignee/importer of the goods. Identification numbers on bills of lading, air waybills, and invoices must be full and correct. 

Halal Certificate: Certificate that states that the fresh or frozen meat or poultry products were slaughtered in accordance with Islamic law must be included if the product claims Halal certification. Certification by an appropriate Chamber of Commerce is required.

Special Requirements for Pharmaceuticals Inspection: Special import certification may be required for pharmaceuticals. CEMAC’s public health body, the Organization for Coordination of the Fight against Endemic Diseases in Central Africa (OCEAC), oversees the process of harmonization of national pharmaceutical policies. Up-to-date health and pre-shipment inspection regulations are available at the Ministry of Public Health.

Customs Clearance Document Requirements (by commodity)
	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicles & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
D&T Exemption Certificate	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, for UN and Temporary Admission Certificate for NGOs	N/A	N/A
Invoice	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	Yes, Original	No	Yes, Original
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, Original
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes, Original
Packing Lists	Preferred	Preferred	Preferred	Preferred	Preferred	Preferred
Phytosanitary Certificate	Yes	N/A	Yes	N/A	No	N/A
Other Documents	Certificate of Origin	Certificate of Origin	Certificate of Origin	Certificate of Origin	N/A	Mandatory authorization from Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Telecommunication
Additional Notes
Typically, international organizations in Chad use forwarding agents for shipping and clearance procedures. To begin the process of providing customs clearance documentation, a cover letter (with specialized instructions on the customs regime, dispatching plan, tonnage, etc.) is prepared by the respective organization and given to the forwarding agent who begins the formal customs procedure. Oftentimes to speed up the clearance process, forwarding agents will want to acquire proof of an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) from the departure port.

Transit Regime

Currently, commodities destined for Chad arrive from Douala Port in Cameroon. Once containers arrive at Douala, customs papers are checked. Transporters of cargo can proceed from Cameroon to Chad if they have a transit order and customs declaration. In transit, the transporter will stop at all necessary customs offices to have the transit order and customs declaration approved and signed.

Transit that is done by road or railway must be done in accordance with the IM8 customs declaration. The IM8 customs declaration is issued by local customs office services and is recognized internationally (by CEMAC) as proof of import. With the IM8, transporters can acquire the transit voucher(s) which identify the travelling cargo. With the IM8 and the transport voucher(s), the transporter may proceed.

Issuing Procedures

A chartered customs broker begins the IM8 process with the opening of a transit file after the arrival of the shipment.

The proof that the import operation has been made in the destination country’s currency is attached to the file.

An office chief and appointed inspector begin verifying the transit file. The deadline for the handling of the file cannot exceed two hours. Once the file has been approved it will be marked “Good for Transit”.

Alternatively, customs offices can utilize the D15 model in which a transit voucher is issued for all goods withdrawn from the shipment. The voucher is signed by the Transit Chief of Service as soon as the cargo is loaded on the transportation vehicle. The D15 will be created in reference to the IM8. Moving forward, either the IM8 or D15 will serve as accepted customs declaration documentation.

In-transit formalities

Customs agents present at check points will make sure that the lead knots, seals, and marks on the parcels transported have not been broken or altered. Numbers must be identical to those mentioned on the original IM8 accompanying them or the transit voucher (D15).
Agents will stamp the original IM8 or the D15 with the inscriptions “seen on passage with seals or lead knots intact” and mention the number of parcels presented.
If lead knots or seals are broken, customs agents will mention it on the IM8 or the D15 with the inscriptions “seen on passage with lead knots or seals broken”.
The customs agents immediately check the cargo and establish a report.

Closing procedures

At a licensed customs issuing office, the liquidation of the IM8 occurs with the presentation of signed transit vouchers and the original IM8 bearing the inscription and approval of customs offices crossed during transit. The file is deposited by the customs office within a period of 2 “clearing days”.