YAOUNDE, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chad commemorated on Sunday the 63rd anniversary of the Independence Day with a military parade.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno presided over the parade in N'Djamena, the capital of Chad where tens of thousands of people gathered to watch the event.
Similar activities were held in several towns across the country where crowds of people waved Chadian national flags as mechanized units and foot soldiers marched in front of dignitaries, and Armed Forces aircraft and helicopters flashed above.
"From the first years of independence, our young nation had to face several conflicts which hampered its momentum of development. Internal wars and external aggressions have marred the destiny of our country for several decades," the president said in a televised address to the nation on the eve of the Independence Day.
"Thanks to the resilience of the Chadian people, we are now heading towards the inclusive, integral and harmonious development of our country. The march towards development of this nature, aimed at lasting and shared prosperity, must be collective and resolute," he added.
Chad formally achieved its independence from France on Aug. 11, 1960. ■