Since January 29, all primary, secondary and university schools in the capital remained closed following the call of the main Chadian unions to a general and unlimited strike in the public sector triggered by the decline in the salary of January. This came as one of the consequences of the new 2018 Finance Act, which cuts down part of the bonuses and allowances from the emoluments of public officials.

In addition, following a general meeting held on February 7, 2018, the trade union platform demanded the suspension of the minimum service in hospitals and health districts throughout the country and holding the government accountable for all that would ensue.

The state has imposed drastic austerity measures, believing that the public purse has no means of supporting such a payroll, in the face of a debt of 800 billion FCFA (1.2 billion euros) to commercial banks.

The recent austerity measures and the rise in the price of fuel have also been fueled the growing social discontent with President Idriss Déby’s regime