Chad’s Déby wins 2026 African Peace Prize for role in Sudan refugee crisis

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has been named the winner of the 2026 African Peace Prize for his peaceful management of Chad's political transition and the country's humanitarian response to Sudanese refugees, the African Conference for Peace has announced. The Prize Committee's unanimous decision recognizes President Déby’s role in consolidating peace in Chad while opening the country's eastern border to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing conflict in Sudan, the organization said. The committee met at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, under the auspices of the UN-mandated University for Peace (UPEACE), and was chaired by Dr. David Fernández Puyana and attended by Cheikh Al-Mahfoudh Bin Bayyah, along with legal experts, human rights defenders, and international diplomats. In a statement, the committee said its decision followed an in-depth review of nominations and analytical reports by African and international research centers, highlighting President Déby's efforts to strengthen national unity and use dialogue as a strategic tool for resolving political and regional disputes. Since coming to power, Déby has sought to reconcile different political and social groups in Chad, promote national reconciliation and combat extremism and cross-border crime, with the committee noting that he steered a sensitive political transition without the country descending into violence. On the humanitarian front, reports from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and aid organizations in eastern Chad have praised the government's decision to keep borders open to Sudanese refugees, after President Déby ordered the unconditional opening of border crossings and the creation of humanitarian corridors in areas including Adré, Tiné, Kornoy, Um Dukhun, Wadi Hawar and Amdjarass, and urged local communities to host the displaced. Data cited by the committee indicate that between 40% and 45% of the refugees have been absorbed into host communities, with villages in eastern Chad sharing homes, wells and schools without compensation—solidarity that led the United Nations to describe Chad as "a rare model of African generosity toward refugees despite limited resources," crediting the rapid border opening and flexible stance with helping to save hundreds of thousands of lives. The committee said the award aligns with the mission of the African Peace Prize, which honors leaders who embody high human values, spread a culture of peace, strengthen security and support sustainable development, in line with the African Union's Agenda 2063, "The Africa We Want." Previous laureates include Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum (2022), Nigeria's then-President Muhammadu Buhari (2023), Gambian President Adama Barrow (2024) and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara (2025). Speaking in Geneva, Dr. Fernández Puyana said the 2026 award "reflects a collective commitment to the values of peace and dialogue, and sends a message of hope to the entire African continent: stability and development begin with choosing dialogue as an alternative to confrontation." Cheikh Al-Mahfoudh Bin Bayyah said the prize "is not only a personal distinction, but a recognition of a national approach and a vision of leadership that places the human being at the center of its priorities, in the conviction that true peace is built through justice, dialogue and coexistence." The award ceremony is scheduled for early February in Nouakchott, during the opening session of the 6th African Conference for Peace, where Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani will present the prize to President Déby.