The Tripoli Agreement of 1979 was a peace agreement signed between Chad and Libya. The signing of the agreement put an end to the first Chadian-Libyan war, which had lasted for three years.
The war had started in 1978 when Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi tried to annex the Aouzou Strip, a mineral-rich territory in northern Chad. The move was opposed by the Chadian government, which was backed by France and other Western powers.
The war led to the displacement of thousands of people and the deaths of many more. It also caused a strain in the relationship between Chad and Libya, which had previously been friendly.
The Tripoli Agreement was brokered by Algeria and Sudan and signed in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on August 21, 1979. The agreement recognized the sovereignty of Chad over the Aouzou Strip and called for the withdrawal of Libyan troops from Chadian territory. It also established a joint commission to demarcate the Chad-Libya border.
The signing of the agreement was seen as a victory for Chad, which had successfully resisted Libya`s attempt to annex the Aouzou Strip. It also marked a turning point in the relationship between the two countries, as they moved towards a more peaceful coexistence.
However, the peace was short-lived, as Libya intervened in Chad again in 1980, leading to a second Chadian-Libyan war. The conflict lasted until 1987 and ended with the defeat of Libyan forces and the expulsion of Gaddafi`s troops from Chadian territory.
The legacy of the Tripoli Agreement of 1979 is mixed. While it was a significant step towards ending the first Chadian-Libyan war, it did not prevent further conflict between the two countries. Nevertheless, the agreement remains an important historical event in the relations between Chad and Libya, and in the geopolitics of the region.