NAIROBI, January 16. /TASS/. Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has been named the winner of the 2026 African Peace Prize for peacefully managing the country’s political transition process and assisting Sudanese refugees, a message on the African Conference for Peace platform stated.

The committee members responsible for awarding the prize explained that the decision was made after a thorough examination of candidates and analytical reports from African and international research centers. First and foremost, experts highlighted the efforts of the Chadian President to strengthen national unity, combat extremism and cross-border crime, and use dialogue as a strategic tool to resolve political and regional disputes. Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno oversaw a delicate political transition process, preventing the country from descending into violence, they noted.

The committee also highly praised the government’s decision to keep the country’s eastern borders open to Sudanese refugees, as well as the authorities’ appeal to local communities to accept displaced persons.

According to the Africanews information portal, 40-45% of refugees have been taken in by communities, and villagers in eastern Chad share their homes, wells and schools with them without asking for any money in return. Against this backdrop, the UN previously called Chad a rare example of African generosity towards refugees despite limited resources and noted that opening the borders and the authorities’ flexible stance helped save hundreds of thousands of lives.

The award ceremony is scheduled for early February in the capital of Mauritania during the opening of the 6th African Conference for Peace. The prize will be presented to the Chadian President by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.

Previous winners of the prize have included Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum (2022), Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari (2023), Gambia’s President Adama Barrow (2024), and Cote d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara (2025).