Idriss Déby Net Worth: $50 Million
Category: Richest Politicians › Presidents
Net Worth: $50 Million
Birthdate: June 18, 1952
Date of Death: April 20, 2021 (aged 68)
Birthplace: Fada, Chad
Profession: Politician
Nationality: Chad
Who Was Idriss Déby?
Idriss Déby was a longtime Chadian political and military leader who served as President of Chad from 1990 until his death in 2021. He was also the head of the Patriotic Salvation Movement, the party he founded after leading a successful rebellion against then-President Hissène Habré.
Military Background and Rise to Power
- Déby was a trained military officer and pilot, having studied in France and at Chad’s Officers’ School in N’Djamena.
- He served under President Habré as commander-in-chief of the armed forces and chief military advisor.
- A fallout with Habré in 1989 led Déby to form a rebel force, the Patriotic Salvation Movement, which overthrew Habré in 1990.
Presidency (1990–2021)
- Elected in 1996 and 2001, and after removing term limits, re-elected in 2006, 2011, and 2016.
- His government faced multiple rebel insurgencies, assassination attempts, and internal challenges.
- Despite criticism over democratic backsliding, Déby was a key ally to Western nations, especially France and the U.S., in counterterrorism efforts across the Sahel.
Controversies and International Standing
- Chevron and Petronas were expelled in 2006 for allegedly failing to pay $500 million in taxes, which thrust Chad into the global spotlight.
- In the same year, Forbes magazine named Chad the world’s most corrupt nation.
- His regime was often accused of suppressing opposition, media censorship, and human rights abuses.
Personal Life and Legacy
- Déby belonged to the Bidyat clan of the Zaghawa ethnic group.
- He had multiple wives and at least a dozen children.
- His son Brahim Déby died under mysterious circumstances in 2007 in France.
- Déby died on April 20, 2021, from injuries sustained while leading troops on the front lines against rebels—just days after being re-elected for a sixth term.
