l Consultative Council
(Conceil National Consultatif) were last held 8 July 1990; this body
was disbanded on 3 December 1990 by President DEBY and on 8 March
1991 replaced with the Provisional Council of the Republic having 30
members whom he appointed; this body, in turn, was replaced on 6
April 1993 by a 57-member Higher Transitional Council (Conseil
Superieur de Transition) elected by a specially convened Sovereign
National Conference; popular elections, formerly scheduled for April
1995, were initially postponed by mutual agreement of the parties
concerned until at least May 1996 and subsequently postponed until
after the rainy season (as late as October 1996); note - the name of
the anticipated new legislative body has not been announced

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS),
former dissident group, Idriss DEBY, chairman
note: President DEBY, who promised political pluralism, a new
constitution, and free elections by April 1994, subsequently twice
postponed these initiatives; there are numerous dissident groups and
at least 45 opposition political parties

Other political or pressure groups: NA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UDEAC,
UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Saleh AHMAT
chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence E. POPE II
embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
telephone: [235] (51) 70-09, (51) 90-52, (51) 92-33
FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Flag: three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flag of
Andorra, which has a national coat of arms featuring a quartered
shield centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of
France

Economy
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Economic overview: Climate, geographic remoteness, poor resource
endowment, and lack of infrastructure make Chad one of the most
underdeveloped countries in the world. Its economy is hobbled by
political turmoil,