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Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso (born 23 November 1943) is a Congolese politician and former military officer. He became president of the Republic of the Congo in 1997.[1] He served a previous term as president from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as president, he headed the Congolese Party of Labour (PCT) for 12 years. He introduced multiparty politics in 1990, but was stripped of executive powers by the 1991 National Conference, remaining in office as a ceremonial head of state. He stood as a candidate in the 1992 presidential election but placed third.

Denis Sassou Nguesso
Sassou Nguesso in 2014
5th and 7th President of the Republic of the Congo
Assumed office
25 October 1997
Prime MinisterIsidore Mvouba
Clément Mouamba
Anatole Collinet Makosso
Preceded byPascal Lissouba
In office
8 February 1979 – 31 August 1992
Prime MinisterLouis Sylvain Goma
Ange Édouard Poungui
Alphonse Poaty-Souchlaty
Pierre Moussa
Louis Sylvain Goma
André Milongo
Preceded byJean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya (Acting)
Succeeded byPascal Lissouba
Personal details
Born (1943-11-23) 23 November 1943 (age 79)
Edou, French Equatorial Africa (now Congo-Brazzaville)
Political partyCongolese Party of Labour (1969–present)
Spouse
(m. 1969)
Military service
AllegianceRepublic of the Congo
RankGeneral

Sassou Nguesso was an opposition leader for five years before returning to power during the Second Republic of the Congo Civil War, in which his rebel forces ousted President Pascal Lissouba.[2][3] Following a transitional period, he won the 2002 presidential election,[4] which involved low opposition participation. He was re-elected in the 2009 presidential election.[5] The introduction of a new constitution, passed by referendum in 2015 amidst calls for boycott then a dismissal of results by opposition leaders,[6][7][8] enabled Sassou Nguesso to stand for another term. He was re-elected in the 2016 presidential election with a majority in the first round.[9]

Early life

A member of the Mbochi tribe,[10] Sassou Nguesso was born in Edou in the Oyo district in northern Congo in 1943. His parents are Julien Nguesso and Émilienne Mouebara.[11] Nguesso was the youngest child in the family.[12] His father was a notable hunter chief in Edou.[13] He received primary education in Fort Rousset, now Owando. He studied in Dolisie Normal College between 1956 and 1960.[14]

Military career

He joined the army in 1960 just before the country was granted independence.[15] He received military training in Algeria. In 1962, he returned to Congo and was reassigned to active duty with the rank of second lieutenant. A year later, he joined the Application School for Infantry, at Saint-Maixent-l'École, France whence he graduated with the rank of lieutenant.[14] He returned to join Congo's elite paratroop regiment.[16] He was one of the first officers of the Airborne Group, the first paratroop battalion of the Congolese Army, which was created by Marien Ngouabi in 1965.[14][17] He commanded the Airborne Group, the army and the Brazzaville Military Zone (ZAB), and then headed the Intelligence department of the State Security Services. He became captain, then commander, and was promoted to colonel (1978) and later as army general (1989).[14]

Political career

1963–1979: early positions

He was part of the 1968 military coup that overthrew president Massemba Debat and brought Marien Ngouabi to power. He was a founding member of the National Revolution Counsil (Conseil National de la revolution) in December 1968.[18][19]

In 1968, Sassou Nguessou took part in the military coup led by Commander Marien Ngouabi against Debat: He was a member of the Congolese National Revolution Council (Conseil National de la révolution)[20] established on 5 August 1968.[21] Under the leadership of Marien Ngouabi, the group limited the president's powers, before the latter finally resigned on 3 September 1968.[22] Ngouabi officially became head of state in January 1969.[23]

In December 1969, Sassou Nguessou was elected as a member of the first central committee of the new Congolese Labor Party (PCT: Parti Congolais du travail). It was a communist party with a Marxist–Leninist doctrine. It was headed by Marien Ngouabi as president of the central committee, president of the republic and head of state.[24]

A new constitution was issued on 31 December 1969, which designated the country as the People's Republic of Congo.[25]

In March 1970, following a failed coup attempted by Pierre Kinganga, a former lieutenant who was exiled in the neighboring Congo-Kinshasa,[26] an extraordinary session of the PCT's congress was held, during which Denis Sassou N'guessou integrated the Political bureau of the PCT.[27]

On 18 May 1973, Sassou Nguessou who had been corps commander of the airborne group, was made Director of State Security.[28]

In 1975, amid an economic crisis, an extraordinary session of the PCT central committee was summoned . The 8 member political bureau resigned and was replaced by a restricted "Revolutionary Special General Staff" (Etat major spécial révolutionnaire) composed of 5 members and headed by Marien Ngouabi. Sassou Nguessou was one of the 5.[27] At the end of the extraordinary session, Marien Ngouabi asked Sassou Nguessou and 5 other members to craft a paper on the economic and political situation. The paper became known as the "Declaration of 12 December 1975". It recommended the "radicalization" of the revolution".[29]

At the same period, he was appointed Minister of defense and security at age 32.[30]

On 18 March 1977, president Marien Ngouabi was assassinated.[31] Official media stated that the assassination was conducted by a commando group led by Capt. Barthelemey Kikadidi.[32] Others claimed that the assassination was plotted by military officers within the close circle of power.[33][34]

A Military Committee of the Congolese Labor Party (Comité militaire du PCT) composed by 11 officers and led by Major Sassou Nguessou immediately took power and repealed the 1973 constitution. Sassou Nguessou acted as interim head of state from 18 March to 6 April 1977, then he conceded his position to general Joachim Yhombi-Opango who became president. Sassou Nguessou held the position of 1st vice president of the committee, while retaining his position of minister of defense.[35][36]

Shortly after the Ngouabi assassination, Massamba-Debat and his former prime minister Pascal Lissouba were arrested and accused by a courts martial of plotting the assassination. Massamba-Debat was executed on 25 March 1977.[37][38] Sassou-Nguesso was appointed provisional president on 8 February, before being confirmed, during a special congress on 31 March 1979 as head of the central committee, President of the Republic, head of state and President of the council of ministers, for five years.[36][39]

On 8 July 1979, general elections were held and confirmed the PCT as the dominant political force: the Congolese Labor Party (Parti Congolais du Travail – PCT) won all the seats in the People's National Assembly.[40][41]

A new constitution was adopted by referendum, confirming the socialist foundations of the country.[42]

1979–1991: three presidential terms

As the newly elected president, Sassou Nguesso negotiated loans from the International Monetary Fund and allowed foreign investors from France and the Americas to conduct oil and mineral extraction.

Although he was considered by French diplomats as representative of the radical wing of the PCT and as the Soviet Union and Cuba's man,[31] Sassou Nguessou developed and maintained strong relationships with France on which he relied to support the staggering economy. The French oil company Elf Aquitaine played an important role in the exploitation of Congolese oil fields that led to the doubling of oil production and in supporting Congolese government expenses via pre-financing loans.[43]

He visited France in October 1979 and in July 1981 to seek economic support. In October 1980, high ranking French political figures including former president Valery Giscard d'Estaing, and former prime ministers Jacques Chirac and Pierre Messmer, were guests to the celebration of the Brazzaville centenary.[44]

In May 1980 Sassou Nguessou signed a 20-year friendship pact with the Soviet Union and in the same year sent two delegations to China while a Chinese minister visited Brazzaville. However, the economic impact of these relationships remained marginal: France provided up to 50% of the country's foreign aid while the Soviet Union's contribution did not exceed 1,5%.

 
Denis Sassou Nguesso in 1986.

Sassou Nguesso was re-elected for a five-year term as President of the PCT Central Committee and President of the Republic at the party's Third Ordinary Congress on 27–31 July 1984,[45] He announced the release of Yhombi-Opango.[46] He served as Chairman of the Organization of African Unity from 1986 to 1987. In late 1987 he faced down a serious military revolt in the north of the country with French aid.

At the PCT's Fourth Ordinary Congress on 26–31 July 1989, Sassou Nguesso was re-elected as President of the PCT Central Committee and President of the Republic,[47] and the PCT won all of the seats of the People's National Assembly.[48] With the collapse of the socialist states of Eastern Europe, as well as influence from the French, Sassou Nguesso began to bring the country to capitalism.[citation needed]

In December 1989 he announced the end of government control of the economy and declared a partial amnesty for political prisoners. Over the following year he attempted to improve the failing economic situation and reduce the outrageous levels of corruption. Starting in September 1990 political parties other than the PCT were allowed and Sassou Nguesso made a symbolic state visit to the United States, laying the grounds for a new series of conditional International Monetary Fund loans later that year.[citation needed]

He introduced multiparty politics in 1990 and was then stripped of executive powers by the 1991 National Conference,[49] remaining in office as a ceremonial head of state. He stood as a candidate in the 1992 presidential election but placed third.[50]

In February 1991, a national conference began; the opposition gained control of the conference. The conference's declaration of its own sovereignty was not challenged by Sassou Nguesso. He was subjected to serious criticism and allegations during the Conference, including a claim from some delegates that he was involved in Ngouabi's assassination.[51][52]

1992–1997: First Civil War and election campaigns

The first round of elections took place on 24 June, and the second on 19 July. Senate elections took place on 26 July. In the parliamentary election of June–July 1992, the PCT won only 19 of 125 seats in the National Assembly; the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS) led by former prime minister Pascal Lissouba, was the largest party. But it could not obtain an absolute majority in the National Assembly, with the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI) led by former army General Bernard Kolelas in second position.[53]

In the August 1992 presidential election, Sassou Nguesso was eliminated in the first round, placing third with 17% of the vote. He fared poorly everywhere except the north. The second round was held between Lissouba (UPADS) and Kolelas (MCDDI); Sassou Nguesso backed Lissouba, who won in the second round with 61.32% of the vote.[54]

Lissouba became President of the Republic on 31 August and a new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Stephane Bongho-Nouarra of UPADS, was formed on 7 August. In the meantime, a new alliance of seven parties, including the MCDDI and the Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS) was constituted. It was soon joined by the PCT, which was unhappy with the distribution of ministerial portfolios, thus ensuring a new parliamentary majority.

On 31 October, the National Assembly approved a motion of no confidence against Bongho-Nouarra who resigned. On 17 November, President Lissouba dissolved Parliament, announcing elections to break the deadlock. In December, Claude Antoine Dacosta was appointed Prime Minister at the head of a transitional government.[55]

Civil war started in November 1993, when the opposition parties (UDR and PCT) contested the results of the parliamentary elections (October 1993) giving victory to the coalition supporting President Lissouba (Tendance présidentielle).[56] Armed militia supporting President Lissouba, (Cocoyes, Zoulous and Mambas) clashed with Kolelas' Ninjas and Sassous Nguessou's Cobras.[57] The conflict ended in December 1995, but left at least 2000 dead and more than 100 000 displaced.[58]

After this episode Sassou spent seven months in Paris in 1996, returning on 26 January 1997 to contest the presidential election scheduled for July.[59]

1997–2008: Second Civil War and return to the presidency

The second round of the civil war erupted a few weeks before the presidential election.[60]

In May 1997, a visit by Sassou Nguesso to Owando, Yhombi-Opango's political stronghold, led to the outbreak of violence between his supporters and those of Yhombi-Opango.[61] On 5 June 1997, government forces surrounded Sassou Nguesso's home in the Mpila section of Brazzaville, attempting to arrest Pierre Aboya and Engobo Bonaventure, who had been implicated in the violence. Fighting broke out between government forces and Cobras, which led to the second civil war.

At the beginning of the conflict, Kolelas' militia remained neutral, but on 8 September 1997, he joined the president's camp and became Prime Minister.[62] On 18 September, Angolan troops and airforce entered the battle, providing significant support to Sassou-Nguessou. By 14 October a final assault covered by Angolan Mig aircraft was launched on the Presidential Palace and neighborhoods in south Brazzaville,[61] then on Pointe Noire, against the President's militias (Zoulou, Cocoys, Aubervillois and Mambas) and the Ninjas.[63]

By October, Sassou Nguesso was in control, while Lissouba as well as Kolelas and Opango left the country. On 25 October 1997, Sassou Nguessou was sworn in.[59]

He repealed the 1992 Constitution, and replaced it with a "Fundamental Act" that concentrated power in the President's hands.[64] General Sassou-Nguesso accumulated the functions of President of the Republic, Head of State, Head of Government, Minister of Defense and Supreme Chief of the Armies.[65]

 
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Sassou Nguesso in June 2005

A government was announced on 2 November 1997; it consisted mainly of members and relatives of the FDU (Forces Démocratiques unifies, a coalition between the PCT and other parties supporting Sassou Nguessou) as well as two members respectively of UPADS and MCDDI, who were not chosen by the presidents in exile.

He also called for a National reconciliation forum. However The idea was rejected by Lissouba's followers who continued to strike into the region between the country's economic capital, Pointe Noire and Brazzaville, having cut the railway between the coast and Brazzaville for three months. In December 1997 heavy fighting resumed in the capital's southern suburbs (the Pool area) where the Ninja militia clashed with Congolese and Angolan troops and Cobra militiamen. As many as 1 500 may have been killed in the fighting, and thousands more fled to escape the violence.[66]

The Forum for Unity and National Reconciliation was held from 5 to 8 January 1998 with 1,420 delegates. It decided upon a transitional period of three years, to be followed by elections under a new Constitution.[67] It also formed a 75-member National Transitional Council (NTC) to act as a legislative body. Members were elected by the forum by mid-January .[68] However, violence did not end. By April 1998, militias opposed to Sassou-Nguesso were operated throughout southern Congo, coordinating their operations. In the beginning of 1999, the violence had resumed in Brazzaville.[69] Peace agreements were signed on 25 December under the auspices of President Omar Bongo of Gabon,[70] ending the civil war, leaving 8,000-10,000 dead, around 800,000 displaced persons and a devastated country .

 
Denis Sassou Nguesso and George W. Bush in the Oval Office in 2006.

Presidential elections were held on 10 March 2002. 12 candidates entered the race, but only seven remained throughout the electoral process., Two candidates were disqualified by the Supreme Court on 10 February 2002 while two (Martin Mberi and General Anselme Makoumbou) withdrew from the race, on 6 March, protesting a lack of transparency in the electoral process. On 10 March, two days before the election, Andre Milongo, seen as the main challenger, withdrew, also citing lack of transparency and calling for a boycott.[71]

The elections passed peacefully and Sassou-Nguessou won with 89.41% of the votes. Serious malfunctions and acts of manipulation in a few electoral commissions were reported by the European Union Election Observation Mission who reported that these acts did not impact the final result, and called for the sanction of the those responsible in order to prevent the situation from happening again in the next elections.[72]

Sassou-Nguessou was elected Chairman of the African Union, the OAU's successor body, in January 2006. His election was the result of a compromise reached to prevent the chairmanship from going to Omar al-Bashir.[73]

2009–2016: Re-election and constitutional referendum

 
Denis Sassou Nguesso with Obamas in September 2009

Sassou Nguesso was re-elected as President of the Central Committee of the PCT at the party's Fifth Extraordinary Congress in December 2006.[74] He was re-elected in the July 2009 presidential election with 78.61% of the vote amidst an opposition boycott. He said that his re-election meant continued "peace, stability and security", and he called for an end to "thinking like ... freeloaders" in reference to international aid. At his inauguration Sassou Nguesso announced that he would support an amnesty bill to pardon Lissouba, who had gone into exile after his 1997 ouster and was convicted of crimes in absentia. Sassou Nguesso said that he wanted the amnesty bill to be presented to Parliament by the end of 2009.[75] As Congo-Brazzaville prepared to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence from France in 2010, Sassou Nguesso noted that the country had far to go in fully realizing the dream of independence: "Our country will not be totally independent until our people are free of the yoke of poverty."[76]

 
Vladimir Putin with Denis Sassou Nguesso at the ceremony for exchanging documents signed following Russia-Congo talks, May 2019.

On 27 March 2015 Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold a referendum to change the 2002 constitution, which would allow him to run for a third consecutive term.[77] The proposal was overwhelmingly approved by voters, with 92.96% in favor. Turnout was officially placed at 72.44%.[78] However the opposition argued that due to low turnout, the results should be annulled.[79]

On 20 March 2016, Sassou Nguesso, ran for a third consecutive term of 5 years and was reelected in the first round with 60% of the vote.[80]

Opposition leader Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas finished second with 15 percent of the vote while retired general Jean-Marie Mokoko, a former security adviser to Sassou Nguesso, came third with 14 percent.

For the first time in the history of the Republic, these elections were supervised by an independent commission (CNEI: Commission Nationale Electorale Indépendante). The opposition rejected the outcome, alleging fraud and calling for civil disobedience.[80]

2021: Re-election

 
Sassou Nguesso with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in 2022

During the presidential election that took place on 21 March 2021, Sassou Nguessou, who faced six challengers for the presidency, came first once again, garnering 88.4% of the votes. His main challenger, Guy Brice Parfait Kolélas, finished second with 7.96%, Mathias Dzon received 1.92%, and the other four candidates each received less than 1% each.[81]

African Union and the Libyan crisis

As the Chairman of the African Union High Level Committee on Libya, Sassou Nguesso stated, "The settlement of the Libyan crisis appears, more than ever, as an absolute urgency", especially because of the possible negative impact of terrorist groups in the south of Libya on neighboring states.

He declared "this crisis remains, before any other consideration, an African problem."[82][83][84][85]

Controversies

In September 2006, during the United Nations General Assembly meeting, Sassou Nguesso's entourage, including several members of his family, occupied 44 rooms at the Waldorf Astoria that together cost £130,000, including almost £14,000 of room service. The total was pointed out by the British newspaper The Sunday Times to be "comfortably more than the £106,000 that Britain gave the Republic of Congo in humanitarian aid in 2006."[citation needed]

In July 2007, British NGO Global Witness published documents that show that the President's son, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, may have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from the country's oil sales on shopping sprees in Paris and Dubai. The documents show that in August 2006, Denis Christel, who was the head of Cotrade – the marketing branch of Congo's state oil firm SNPC – spent $35,000 on purchases from designers such as Louis Vuitton and Roberto Cavalli.[86] Reputation management company Schillings Solicitors unsuccessfully attempted to suppress this information.[87][citation needed]

In November 2020, under pressure from Chinese authorities, Sassou-Nguesso and four cabinet minister issued a decree terminating a contract with Australian miner Sundance Resources to develop the huge Mbalam-Nabeba iron-ore deposit, subsequently awarding three permits to a relatively unknown Chinese-backed company, Sichuan Hanlong Group.[88]

See also

References

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External links

  • Official website
Political offices
Preceded by President of the Congo-Brazzaville
1979–1992
Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Congo-Brazzaville
1997–present
Incumbent
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity
1986–1987
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chairperson of the African Union
2006–2007
Succeeded by

denis, sassou, nguesso, born, november, 1943, congolese, politician, former, military, officer, became, president, republic, congo, 1997, served, previous, term, president, from, 1979, 1992, during, first, period, president, headed, congolese, party, labour, y. Denis Sassou Nguesso born 23 November 1943 is a Congolese politician and former military officer He became president of the Republic of the Congo in 1997 1 He served a previous term as president from 1979 to 1992 During his first period as president he headed the Congolese Party of Labour PCT for 12 years He introduced multiparty politics in 1990 but was stripped of executive powers by the 1991 National Conference remaining in office as a ceremonial head of state He stood as a candidate in the 1992 presidential election but placed third Denis Sassou NguessoSassou Nguesso in 20145th and 7th President of the Republic of the CongoIncumbentAssumed office 25 October 1997Prime MinisterIsidore MvoubaClement MouambaAnatole Collinet MakossoPreceded byPascal LissoubaIn office 8 February 1979 31 August 1992Prime MinisterLouis Sylvain GomaAnge Edouard PounguiAlphonse Poaty SouchlatyPierre MoussaLouis Sylvain GomaAndre MilongoPreceded byJean Pierre Thystere Tchicaya Acting Succeeded byPascal LissoubaPersonal detailsBorn 1943 11 23 23 November 1943 age 79 Edou French Equatorial Africa now Congo Brazzaville Political partyCongolese Party of Labour 1969 present SpouseAntoinette Sassou Nguesso m 1969 wbr Military serviceAllegianceRepublic of the CongoRankGeneralSassou Nguesso was an opposition leader for five years before returning to power during the Second Republic of the Congo Civil War in which his rebel forces ousted President Pascal Lissouba 2 3 Following a transitional period he won the 2002 presidential election 4 which involved low opposition participation He was re elected in the 2009 presidential election 5 The introduction of a new constitution passed by referendum in 2015 amidst calls for boycott then a dismissal of results by opposition leaders 6 7 8 enabled Sassou Nguesso to stand for another term He was re elected in the 2016 presidential election with a majority in the first round 9 Contents 1 Early life 2 Military career 3 Political career 3 1 1963 1979 early positions 3 2 1979 1991 three presidential terms 3 3 1992 1997 First Civil War and election campaigns 3 4 1997 2008 Second Civil War and return to the presidency 3 5 2009 2016 Re election and constitutional referendum 3 6 2021 Re election 4 African Union and the Libyan crisis 5 Controversies 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life EditA member of the Mbochi tribe 10 Sassou Nguesso was born in Edou in the Oyo district in northern Congo in 1943 His parents are Julien Nguesso and Emilienne Mouebara 11 Nguesso was the youngest child in the family 12 His father was a notable hunter chief in Edou 13 He received primary education in Fort Rousset now Owando He studied in Dolisie Normal College between 1956 and 1960 14 Military career EditHe joined the army in 1960 just before the country was granted independence 15 He received military training in Algeria In 1962 he returned to Congo and was reassigned to active duty with the rank of second lieutenant A year later he joined the Application School for Infantry at Saint Maixent l Ecole France whence he graduated with the rank of lieutenant 14 He returned to join Congo s elite paratroop regiment 16 He was one of the first officers of the Airborne Group the first paratroop battalion of the Congolese Army which was created by Marien Ngouabi in 1965 14 17 He commanded the Airborne Group the army and the Brazzaville Military Zone ZAB and then headed the Intelligence department of the State Security Services He became captain then commander and was promoted to colonel 1978 and later as army general 1989 14 Political career Edit1963 1979 early positions Edit He was part of the 1968 military coup that overthrew president Massemba Debat and brought Marien Ngouabi to power He was a founding member of the National Revolution Counsil Conseil National de la revolution in December 1968 18 19 In 1968 Sassou Nguessou took part in the military coup led by Commander Marien Ngouabi against Debat He was a member of the Congolese National Revolution Council Conseil National de la revolution 20 established on 5 August 1968 21 Under the leadership of Marien Ngouabi the group limited the president s powers before the latter finally resigned on 3 September 1968 22 Ngouabi officially became head of state in January 1969 23 In December 1969 Sassou Nguessou was elected as a member of the first central committee of the new Congolese Labor Party PCT Parti Congolais du travail It was a communist party with a Marxist Leninist doctrine It was headed by Marien Ngouabi as president of the central committee president of the republic and head of state 24 A new constitution was issued on 31 December 1969 which designated the country as the People s Republic of Congo 25 In March 1970 following a failed coup attempted by Pierre Kinganga a former lieutenant who was exiled in the neighboring Congo Kinshasa 26 an extraordinary session of the PCT s congress was held during which Denis Sassou N guessou integrated the Political bureau of the PCT 27 On 18 May 1973 Sassou Nguessou who had been corps commander of the airborne group was made Director of State Security 28 In 1975 amid an economic crisis an extraordinary session of the PCT central committee was summoned The 8 member political bureau resigned and was replaced by a restricted Revolutionary Special General Staff Etat major special revolutionnaire composed of 5 members and headed by Marien Ngouabi Sassou Nguessou was one of the 5 27 At the end of the extraordinary session Marien Ngouabi asked Sassou Nguessou and 5 other members to craft a paper on the economic and political situation The paper became known as the Declaration of 12 December 1975 It recommended the radicalization of the revolution 29 At the same period he was appointed Minister of defense and security at age 32 30 On 18 March 1977 president Marien Ngouabi was assassinated 31 Official media stated that the assassination was conducted by a commando group led by Capt Barthelemey Kikadidi 32 Others claimed that the assassination was plotted by military officers within the close circle of power 33 34 A Military Committee of the Congolese Labor Party Comite militaire du PCT composed by 11 officers and led by Major Sassou Nguessou immediately took power and repealed the 1973 constitution Sassou Nguessou acted as interim head of state from 18 March to 6 April 1977 then he conceded his position to general Joachim Yhombi Opango who became president Sassou Nguessou held the position of 1st vice president of the committee while retaining his position of minister of defense 35 36 Shortly after the Ngouabi assassination Massamba Debat and his former prime minister Pascal Lissouba were arrested and accused by a courts martial of plotting the assassination Massamba Debat was executed on 25 March 1977 37 38 Sassou Nguesso was appointed provisional president on 8 February before being confirmed during a special congress on 31 March 1979 as head of the central committee President of the Republic head of state and President of the council of ministers for five years 36 39 On 8 July 1979 general elections were held and confirmed the PCT as the dominant political force the Congolese Labor Party Parti Congolais du Travail PCT won all the seats in the People s National Assembly 40 41 A new constitution was adopted by referendum confirming the socialist foundations of the country 42 1979 1991 three presidential terms Edit As the newly elected president Sassou Nguesso negotiated loans from the International Monetary Fund and allowed foreign investors from France and the Americas to conduct oil and mineral extraction Although he was considered by French diplomats as representative of the radical wing of the PCT and as the Soviet Union and Cuba s man 31 Sassou Nguessou developed and maintained strong relationships with France on which he relied to support the staggering economy The French oil company Elf Aquitaine played an important role in the exploitation of Congolese oil fields that led to the doubling of oil production and in supporting Congolese government expenses via pre financing loans 43 He visited France in October 1979 and in July 1981 to seek economic support In October 1980 high ranking French political figures including former president Valery Giscard d Estaing and former prime ministers Jacques Chirac and Pierre Messmer were guests to the celebration of the Brazzaville centenary 44 In May 1980 Sassou Nguessou signed a 20 year friendship pact with the Soviet Union and in the same year sent two delegations to China while a Chinese minister visited Brazzaville However the economic impact of these relationships remained marginal France provided up to 50 of the country s foreign aid while the Soviet Union s contribution did not exceed 1 5 Denis Sassou Nguesso in 1986 Sassou Nguesso was re elected for a five year term as President of the PCT Central Committee and President of the Republic at the party s Third Ordinary Congress on 27 31 July 1984 45 He announced the release of Yhombi Opango 46 He served as Chairman of the Organization of African Unity from 1986 to 1987 In late 1987 he faced down a serious military revolt in the north of the country with French aid At the PCT s Fourth Ordinary Congress on 26 31 July 1989 Sassou Nguesso was re elected as President of the PCT Central Committee and President of the Republic 47 and the PCT won all of the seats of the People s National Assembly 48 With the collapse of the socialist states of Eastern Europe as well as influence from the French Sassou Nguesso began to bring the country to capitalism citation needed In December 1989 he announced the end of government control of the economy and declared a partial amnesty for political prisoners Over the following year he attempted to improve the failing economic situation and reduce the outrageous levels of corruption Starting in September 1990 political parties other than the PCT were allowed and Sassou Nguesso made a symbolic state visit to the United States laying the grounds for a new series of conditional International Monetary Fund loans later that year citation needed He introduced multiparty politics in 1990 and was then stripped of executive powers by the 1991 National Conference 49 remaining in office as a ceremonial head of state He stood as a candidate in the 1992 presidential election but placed third 50 In February 1991 a national conference began the opposition gained control of the conference The conference s declaration of its own sovereignty was not challenged by Sassou Nguesso He was subjected to serious criticism and allegations during the Conference including a claim from some delegates that he was involved in Ngouabi s assassination 51 52 1992 1997 First Civil War and election campaigns Edit The first round of elections took place on 24 June and the second on 19 July Senate elections took place on 26 July In the parliamentary election of June July 1992 the PCT won only 19 of 125 seats in the National Assembly the Pan African Union for Social Democracy UPADS led by former prime minister Pascal Lissouba was the largest party But it could not obtain an absolute majority in the National Assembly with the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development MCDDI led by former army General Bernard Kolelas in second position 53 In the August 1992 presidential election Sassou Nguesso was eliminated in the first round placing third with 17 of the vote He fared poorly everywhere except the north The second round was held between Lissouba UPADS and Kolelas MCDDI Sassou Nguesso backed Lissouba who won in the second round with 61 32 of the vote 54 Lissouba became President of the Republic on 31 August and a new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Stephane Bongho Nouarra of UPADS was formed on 7 August In the meantime a new alliance of seven parties including the MCDDI and the Rally for Democracy and Social Progress RDPS was constituted It was soon joined by the PCT which was unhappy with the distribution of ministerial portfolios thus ensuring a new parliamentary majority On 31 October the National Assembly approved a motion of no confidence against Bongho Nouarra who resigned On 17 November President Lissouba dissolved Parliament announcing elections to break the deadlock In December Claude Antoine Dacosta was appointed Prime Minister at the head of a transitional government 55 Civil war started in November 1993 when the opposition parties UDR and PCT contested the results of the parliamentary elections October 1993 giving victory to the coalition supporting President Lissouba Tendance presidentielle 56 Armed militia supporting President Lissouba Cocoyes Zoulous and Mambas clashed with Kolelas Ninjas and Sassous Nguessou s Cobras 57 The conflict ended in December 1995 but left at least 2000 dead and more than 100 000 displaced 58 After this episode Sassou spent seven months in Paris in 1996 returning on 26 January 1997 to contest the presidential election scheduled for July 59 1997 2008 Second Civil War and return to the presidency Edit The second round of the civil war erupted a few weeks before the presidential election 60 In May 1997 a visit by Sassou Nguesso to Owando Yhombi Opango s political stronghold led to the outbreak of violence between his supporters and those of Yhombi Opango 61 On 5 June 1997 government forces surrounded Sassou Nguesso s home in the Mpila section of Brazzaville attempting to arrest Pierre Aboya and Engobo Bonaventure who had been implicated in the violence Fighting broke out between government forces and Cobras which led to the second civil war At the beginning of the conflict Kolelas militia remained neutral but on 8 September 1997 he joined the president s camp and became Prime Minister 62 On 18 September Angolan troops and airforce entered the battle providing significant support to Sassou Nguessou By 14 October a final assault covered by Angolan Mig aircraft was launched on the Presidential Palace and neighborhoods in south Brazzaville 61 then on Pointe Noire against the President s militias Zoulou Cocoys Aubervillois and Mambas and the Ninjas 63 By October Sassou Nguesso was in control while Lissouba as well as Kolelas and Opango left the country On 25 October 1997 Sassou Nguessou was sworn in 59 He repealed the 1992 Constitution and replaced it with a Fundamental Act that concentrated power in the President s hands 64 General Sassou Nguesso accumulated the functions of President of the Republic Head of State Head of Government Minister of Defense and Supreme Chief of the Armies 65 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Sassou Nguesso in June 2005 A government was announced on 2 November 1997 it consisted mainly of members and relatives of the FDU Forces Democratiques unifies a coalition between the PCT and other parties supporting Sassou Nguessou as well as two members respectively of UPADS and MCDDI who were not chosen by the presidents in exile He also called for a National reconciliation forum However The idea was rejected by Lissouba s followers who continued to strike into the region between the country s economic capital Pointe Noire and Brazzaville having cut the railway between the coast and Brazzaville for three months In December 1997 heavy fighting resumed in the capital s southern suburbs the Pool area where the Ninja militia clashed with Congolese and Angolan troops and Cobra militiamen As many as 1 500 may have been killed in the fighting and thousands more fled to escape the violence 66 The Forum for Unity and National Reconciliation was held from 5 to 8 January 1998 with 1 420 delegates It decided upon a transitional period of three years to be followed by elections under a new Constitution 67 It also formed a 75 member National Transitional Council NTC to act as a legislative body Members were elected by the forum by mid January 68 However violence did not end By April 1998 militias opposed to Sassou Nguesso were operated throughout southern Congo coordinating their operations In the beginning of 1999 the violence had resumed in Brazzaville 69 Peace agreements were signed on 25 December under the auspices of President Omar Bongo of Gabon 70 ending the civil war leaving 8 000 10 000 dead around 800 000 displaced persons and a devastated country Denis Sassou Nguesso and George W Bush in the Oval Office in 2006 Presidential elections were held on 10 March 2002 12 candidates entered the race but only seven remained throughout the electoral process Two candidates were disqualified by the Supreme Court on 10 February 2002 while two Martin Mberi and General Anselme Makoumbou withdrew from the race on 6 March protesting a lack of transparency in the electoral process On 10 March two days before the election Andre Milongo seen as the main challenger withdrew also citing lack of transparency and calling for a boycott 71 The elections passed peacefully and Sassou Nguessou won with 89 41 of the votes Serious malfunctions and acts of manipulation in a few electoral commissions were reported by the European Union Election Observation Mission who reported that these acts did not impact the final result and called for the sanction of the those responsible in order to prevent the situation from happening again in the next elections 72 Sassou Nguessou was elected Chairman of the African Union the OAU s successor body in January 2006 His election was the result of a compromise reached to prevent the chairmanship from going to Omar al Bashir 73 2009 2016 Re election and constitutional referendum Edit Denis Sassou Nguesso with Obamas in September 2009 Sassou Nguesso was re elected as President of the Central Committee of the PCT at the party s Fifth Extraordinary Congress in December 2006 74 He was re elected in the July 2009 presidential election with 78 61 of the vote amidst an opposition boycott He said that his re election meant continued peace stability and security and he called for an end to thinking like freeloaders in reference to international aid At his inauguration Sassou Nguesso announced that he would support an amnesty bill to pardon Lissouba who had gone into exile after his 1997 ouster and was convicted of crimes in absentia Sassou Nguesso said that he wanted the amnesty bill to be presented to Parliament by the end of 2009 75 As Congo Brazzaville prepared to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its independence from France in 2010 Sassou Nguesso noted that the country had far to go in fully realizing the dream of independence Our country will not be totally independent until our people are free of the yoke of poverty 76 Vladimir Putin with Denis Sassou Nguesso at the ceremony for exchanging documents signed following Russia Congo talks May 2019 On 27 March 2015 Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold a referendum to change the 2002 constitution which would allow him to run for a third consecutive term 77 The proposal was overwhelmingly approved by voters with 92 96 in favor Turnout was officially placed at 72 44 78 However the opposition argued that due to low turnout the results should be annulled 79 On 20 March 2016 Sassou Nguesso ran for a third consecutive term of 5 years and was reelected in the first round with 60 of the vote 80 Opposition leader Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas finished second with 15 percent of the vote while retired general Jean Marie Mokoko a former security adviser to Sassou Nguesso came third with 14 percent For the first time in the history of the Republic these elections were supervised by an independent commission CNEI Commission Nationale Electorale Independante The opposition rejected the outcome alleging fraud and calling for civil disobedience 80 2021 Re election Edit Sassou Nguesso with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in 2022 During the presidential election that took place on 21 March 2021 Sassou Nguessou who faced six challengers for the presidency came first once again garnering 88 4 of the votes His main challenger Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas finished second with 7 96 Mathias Dzon received 1 92 and the other four candidates each received less than 1 each 81 African Union and the Libyan crisis EditAs the Chairman of the African Union High Level Committee on Libya Sassou Nguesso stated The settlement of the Libyan crisis appears more than ever as an absolute urgency especially because of the possible negative impact of terrorist groups in the south of Libya on neighboring states He declared this crisis remains before any other consideration an African problem 82 83 84 85 Controversies EditIn September 2006 during the United Nations General Assembly meeting Sassou Nguesso s entourage including several members of his family occupied 44 rooms at the Waldorf Astoria that together cost 130 000 including almost 14 000 of room service The total was pointed out by the British newspaper The Sunday Times to be comfortably more than the 106 000 that Britain gave the Republic of Congo in humanitarian aid in 2006 citation needed In July 2007 British NGO Global Witness published documents that show that the President s son Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso may have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from the country s oil sales on shopping sprees in Paris and Dubai The documents show that in August 2006 Denis Christel who was the head of Cotrade the marketing branch of Congo s state oil firm SNPC spent 35 000 on purchases from designers such as Louis Vuitton and Roberto Cavalli 86 Reputation management company Schillings Solicitors unsuccessfully attempted to suppress this information 87 citation needed In November 2020 under pressure from Chinese authorities Sassou Nguesso and four cabinet minister issued a decree terminating a contract with Australian miner Sundance Resources to develop the huge Mbalam Nabeba iron ore deposit subsequently awarding three permits to a relatively unknown Chinese backed company Sichuan Hanlong Group 88 See also EditList of presidents of the Republic of the CongoReferences Edit McKenna Amy Denis Sassou Nguesso britannica com a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link CONGO BRAZZAVILLE Institute for security studies 1999 Louarn Jean Jacques 24 August 2020 Congo Brazzaville l ancien president Pascal Lissouba est decede rfi fr a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Cessou Sabine 23 October 2015 Congo Brazzaville Denis Sassou Nguesso en dix dates rfi fr a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congo Republic poll losers challenge president s win Reuters 23 July 2009 Archived from the original on 27 September 2015 Bondenga Philon 27 October 2015 Congo votes by landslide to allow third presidential term reuters com a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Mpoke Bigg Matthew 27 October 2015 Congo Republic opposition leader dismisses referendum result reuters com a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Referendum au Congo victoire ecrasante du oui l opposition denonce une tricherie Le Monde fr 27 October 2015 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Elion Christian 24 March 2016 Congo s Sassou Nguesso wins re election opposition vows protests reuters com a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link Republique du Congo Congo Brazzaville information indiquant s il existe des signes distinctifs visibles entre les membres de l ethnie Mbochi et les autres ethnies en termes d apparence de pratiques et de styles de vie information indiquant s il est possible de determiner par son nom l appartenance d une personne a l ethnie Mbochi refworld org 23 February 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congo Brazzaville Denis Sassou Nguesso le joueur de poker in French Jeune Afrique 30 August 2012 Antoine Daniel Kongo 24 March 2016 Congo Brazzaville Denis Sassou Nguesso premier president de la Nouvelle Republique in French allAfrica Germaine Mapanga 26 June 2017 Denis Sassou Nguesso Lekufe notable a 10 ans in French allAfrica a b c d Liste des presidents de la Republique du Congo Brazzaville in French Consulate General of Congo in Tunis 17 August 2014 Turner Barry 2009 The Statesman s Yearbook 2010 The Politics Cultures and Economies of the World Springer p 352 ISBN 978 1 349 58632 5 Denis Sassou Nguesso president of Republic of the Congo Encyclopaedia Britannica Retrieved 29 March 2016 NOUAILLE DEGORCE Brigitte NGOUABI MARIEN 1938 1977 universalis fr a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link LISTE DES MEMBRES FONDATEURS DU CONSEIL NATIONAL DE LA REVOLUTION 21 decembre 1968 congo liberty com a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite 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40 ans la mort d un president au marxisme bien tempere a Brazzaville rfi fr 17 March 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Ngouabi Dies of Wounds The New York Times 20 March 1977 Congo Brazzaville Assassinat de Marien Ngouabi l enigme du 18 mars 1977 blogs mediapart fr 20 March 2013 Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Assassinats politiques au Congo Brazzaville Volume 1 Rapport de la Commission ad hoc de la Conference nationale souveraine 25 fevrier 10 juin 1991 mollat com Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Il y a 40 ans la mort d un president au marxisme bien tempere a Brazzaville rfi fr Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link a b Accession de Denis Sassou Nguesso a la presidence de la Republique populaire du Congo perspective usherbrooke ca Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Il y a 40 ans la mort d un president au marxisme bien tempere a Brazzaville rfi fr 18 March 2017 Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link FORMER PRESIDENT EXECUTED IN CONGO The New York Times 26 March 1977 Retrieved 4 April 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Le premier congres extraordinaire du parti congolais du travail particongolaisdutravail org Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Accession de Denis Sassou Nguesso a la presidence de la Republique populaire du Congo perspective usherbrooke ca a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congo Brazzaville 1960 present uca edu a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Perspective Monde PDF perspective usherbrooke ca a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Le petrole congolais d Elf huile de la Francafrique lemonde fr a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Bazenguissa Ganga Remy January 1997 congo brazzaville traite d amitie avec l union sovietique ISBN 9782865377398 Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint url status link Nov 1984 Re election of President Government changes Keesing s Record of World Events volume 30 November 1984 Congo page 33 201 Jun 1986 Release of former President Party and Cabinet changes Economic problems Census Keesing s Record of World Events volume 32 June 1986 Congo page 34 406 Aug 1989 Congo Keesing s Record of World Events volume 35 August 1989 Congo page 36 842 Government Eight Detained In Coup Plot apnews com Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Noble Kenneth B 25 June 1991 Congo Political Conference Gives Africa a Democratic Model The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 24 August 2021 CONGO BRAZZAVILLE PDF Archived from the original PDF on 14 August 2021 Retrieved 14 August 2021 John F Clark 1997 John F Clark David E Gardinier eds Congo Transition and the Struggle to Consolidate Political Reform in Francophone Africa pp 68 69 Kenneth B Noble Congo political conference gives Africa a democratic model The New York Times 25 June 1991 Chambre parlementaire Senat archive ipu org a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link archive ipu org parline f reports arc 1370 92 htm Chambre parlementaire Senat archive ipu org a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help CS1 maint url status link Congo Chambre parlementaire Senat ElLECTIONS TENUES EN 1992 archive ipu org Retrieved 8 August 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Chambre parlementaire Assemblee nationale archive ipu org a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congo Brazzaville Bulletin special d IRIN sur les milices au Congo reliefweb int a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Pourtier Roland 1998 1997 les raisons d une guerre incivile UNHCR Centre for Documentation and Research p 17 a b Congolese Human Rights Observatory International Federation of Human Rights April 1998 Entre arbitraire et impunite les droits de l homme au Congo Brazzaville in French Archived from the original on 14 November 2007 Le 26 janvier 1997 apres un sejour de 7 mois en France Denis Sassou Nguesso est revenu au Congo On 26 January 1996 after a sojourn of seven months in France Denis Sassou Nguesso returned to the Republic of the Congo les raisons d une guerre incivile Afrique contemporaine a b Yengo Patrice 1998 Chacun aura sa part les fondements historiques de la re production de la guerre a Brazzaville Cahiers d Etudes africaines 38 150 471 503 doi 10 3406 cea 1998 1811 Congo Brazzaville L arbitraire de l Etat la terreur des milices PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Bulletin special d information sur le Congo Brazzaville Congo ReliefWeb Retrieved 14 August 2021 Country Information and Policy Unit Immigration and Nationality Directorate Home Office United Kingdom PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congo Brazzaville L arbitraire de l Etat la terreur des milices PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link CONGO BRAZZAVILLE PDF Archived from the original PDF on 14 August 2021 Retrieved 14 August 2021 Congo Brazzaville L arbitraire de l Etat la terreur des milices PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Country Information and Policy Unit PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link CONGO BRAZZAVILLE PDF Archived from the original PDF on 14 August 2021 Retrieved 14 August 2021 ACCORD DU 29 DECEMBRE 1999 A BRAZZAVILLE PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Congolese Opposition Leader Withdraws From Presidential Race 2002 03 09 Voice of America English www voanews com Retrieved 14 August 2021 CONGO ELECTION PRESIDENTIELLE 10 MARS 2002 PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Welle www dw com Deutsche UA Denis Sassou Nguesso au lieu d Omar el Bechir DW 24 January 2006 DW COM in French Retrieved 14 August 2021 Willy Mbossa Denis Sassou Nguesso reconduit a la tete du comite central du Parti congolais du travail Archived 8 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Les Depeches de Brazzaville 30 December 2006 in French Congo leader in pardon for ex president at start of new term AFP 14 August 2009 Congo celebrates 50 years independence AFP 15 August 2010 Aaron Ross Congo Republic president says expects referendum over third term Reuters 27 March 2015 More than 90 vote to allow Congo leader s bid to extend rule Agence France Presse 27 October 2015 Congo referendum should be annulled due to low turnout opposition says Reuters 26 October 2015 Retrieved 23 July 2022 a b Elion Christian 24 March 2016 Congo s Sassou Nguesso wins re election opposition vows protests Reuters Retrieved 15 August 2021 Decision No 003 dcc el pr 21 du 06 avril 2021 sur les recours aux fins d annulation et de report de l election du President de la Republique scrutin des 17 et 21 mars 2021 et portant proclamation des resultats definitifs de ladite election Decision No 003 dcc el pr 21 of 6 April 2021 concerning appeals aiming at cancelling and delaying the election of the President of the Republic in the vote of 17 and 21 March 2021 and declaring the definitive results of this election PDF Constitutional Court of the Republic of the Congo in French 6 April 2021 Archived PDF from the original on 29 June 2022 Retrieved 31 July 2022 Maelle Paix en Libye Une rencontre inedite Brazzaville Foundation Retrieved 24 August 2021 Libye pourquoi Denis Sassou Nguesso a recu le leader spirituel des ibadites Jeune Afrique JeuneAfrique com in French 22 June 2021 Retrieved 24 August 2021 Jacques SIKA Jean Crise libyenne Le soutien de la communaute Ibadite a Denis Sassou N Guesso pour son action dans le conflit libyen Les Echos du Congo Brazzaville in French Retrieved 24 August 2021 La Libye au cœur d une rencontre entre Denis Sassou N Guesso et le Cheikh Farhat Jaabiri Le Journal de l Afrique 20 June 2021 Retrieved 24 August 2021 1 Archived 2 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Law reports The Law Gazette Archived from the original on 11 September 2007 Retrieved 27 December 2012 Kithinji Brian 25 March 2020 Another win for President Nguesso ensures Congo s economic crisis will prolong a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Denis Sassou Nguesso Wikiquote has quotations related to Denis Sassou Nguesso Official websitePolitical officesPreceded byJean Pierre Thystere TchicayaActing President of the Congo Brazzaville1979 1992 Succeeded byPascal LissoubaPreceded byPascal Lissouba President of the Congo Brazzaville1997 present IncumbentDiplomatic postsPreceded byAbdou Diouf Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity1986 1987 Succeeded byKenneth KaundaPreceded byOlusegun Obasanjo Chairperson of the African Union2006 2007 Succeeded byJohn Kufuor Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Denis Sassou Nguesso amp oldid 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