Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977–1980, Volume XVII, Part 3, North Africa

8. Memorandum From the Executive Secretary of the Department of State (Tarnoff) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)¹

Washington, May 27, 1977

SUBJECT

• Ambassador Toura Gaba’s Letter Concerning Food Aid Air Transport and Chadian Relations with Libya

Chadian Ambassador Toura Gaba’s letter to you of May 16² emphasized two major concerns of his government. He requested one or two aircraft and crew to distribute donated foodstuffs to the drought areas of Chad before the rainy season. He requested some form of security assistance to help Chad cope with Libyan “expansionist designs.”

The Chadian Drought

International donors have agreed to contribute 32,400 tons of food to Chad because of this year’s recurrence of a severe drought in that nation, over half of which comes from US sources. Of the total aid, less than 5,000 tons have arrived in Chad. A small German airlift is already underway as an interim measure to supply eastern Chad until food arrives by truck. The French are prepared to mount a limited airlift to the northern area of Chad.

The Government of Chad has made several requests over the past six months to us for a food relief airlift. Given the inordinately high cost of previous food airlifts in 1973 and 1974, we have resisted the Chadian approaches. We have told the Chadians that we would only consider an airlift as a way to move food aid after all methods of moving food by conventional transport had been exhausted, or were ineffective. Poor planning by the Government of Chad and the fast approaching rainy season may, however, force us to give serious consideration next month to an airlift or to funding expanded airlifts by other donor nations. Chadian President Malloum recently told our Ambassador he could not understand why “a great country like the U.S.” could not meet his request for planes to distribute food relief. Malloum recalls that the politics of famine played a role in the downfall of his predecessor, Tombalbaye.

Chadian Relations with Libya

In a May 21 meeting with our Ambassador, President Malloum made a strong plea for U.S. military assistance.³ President Malloum is deeply concerned by rebel activity in northern and eastern Chad. In the east, the Chadian army has tried to confront the rebel forces led by Hissene Habre. The most recent operation, in which the Chadians used for the first time Soviet equipment acquired in the wake of our refusal to supply Chad with heavy equipment in 1975 proved a dismal failure. Malloum is also very upset by the fact that Libya has occupied a sizeable strip of territory in northern Chad, and has long supported rebel forces against the Chadian Government. Our Ambassador replied to President Malloum by outlining the Administration’s new arms policy, and suggesting that further discussion be deferred until after you had an opportunity to consider Ambassador Toura Gaba’s letter.

Recommendation:

That you send the attached letter to Ambassador Toura Gaba.⁴

Peter Tarnoff
Executive Secretary

1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Brzezinski Office File, Country Chron File, Box 7, Chad. Confidential.
2. Not found.
3. In telegram 1697 from Ndjamena, May 21, Bradford summarized his meeting with Malloum. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D770181–1319)
4. Not attached.