Born in 1943 in the region of Cuvette, he recalls in his memoir, The Mango Tree, The River and The Mouse, his deep desire to work his way up through education. He would remain convinced that it is only possible to improve the standard of living, advance social progress, and increase national unity through education.
In 1962, he began officer’s training in Cherchell, Algeria, then in Saint Maixent, France.
He then quickly rose through the ranks of the military in the Congo. In 1968, he commanded the airport regiment of the Congolese army and in 1975 was named Minister of Defence.
His rise to power in 1979 reflected a desire to diversify the Congo’s partnerships with the outside world and to modernize the country.
Under his leadership, the standard of living improved significantly and the average level of education received across the country increased, despite a decline in the price of oil.
In 1992, Sassou N’Guesso withdrew from the election and declared his support for Pascal Lissouba after a muddled first round. Lissouba went on to win the second round election over Bernard Kolelas. From November, 1993 to the end of that year clashes between supporters of Kolelas and Lissouba left almost 1500 people dead. The political and security problems that followed between the supporters of Lissouba and Kolelas would continue for the next four years.
In 1997, Denis Sassou N’Guesso returned from France to run for president when Lissouba’s term ended. Lissouba’s opposition to his candidacy led to new disturbances, however, President Sassou N’Guesso gained the support throughout the country and organized a forum national unity and reconciliation, which made it possible to turn the page on difficult periods of Congo’s history and move forward with reconstruction.
Denis Sassou N’Guesso was elected President of the Republic for a 7-year term. He was re-elected in 2009, after which launched the “Future Path” project, which, through strategic investments, aimed to create new industrial jobs in Congo and relieve some of the nation’s excessive dependence on oil. The “Future Path” specifically targeted the transportation, agro-industries and mining industries.
Read MoreA Vision for Africa
President Sassou N’Guesso, is one of the few leaders who has been a long-time and vocal advocate for African unity.
For Africa’s voice to be heard on the world stage, whether in economics, commerce or geostrategy, it must establish for itself a forceful and unified identity, an African identity. As a young president of the Organization of African Unity, he created the Africa Fund (Special solidarity fund for southern Africa) which helped lead to the independence of Namibia (1987, Brazzaville Protocol), to peace in Angola, and would create the conditions for abolishing apartheid in South Africa.
When he returned to the Presidency of the Congo in 1997, he resumed his fight for peace and stability in Africa and became a messenger for regional and continental economic integration.
From a political standpoint, when he again became president of the African Union in 2006, he focused his efforts on the peaceful resolution of conflicts. In 2010, he organized the signing of the peace agreement between Chad and Sudan, effectively ending five years of war. He contributed to the resolution of the Ivorian crisis; he asked Ivorians for “a political truce” so that they could devote themselves to the objectives established by the UN: the disbanding of militias, voter registration in view of general elections and avoidance of what might otherwise hinder a successful transition. In 2006, he succeeded in getting the African Charter for Peace and Security passed (Sassou Doctrine).
As President of the CEEAC in 2003, he pushed the institution to revive the idea of integration in Central Africa. Faced with rising youth unemployment, which became a growing domestic political issue throughout Central Africa, he responded with a stronger demand for regional integration. He placed the fight against disease at the centre of his efforts, by creating the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS. Through his initiatives, he contributed to the return of peace and an unfettered transition in DRC.
More recently, the Congo granted the Central African Republic a loan amounting to 25 billion CFA francs (EUR 38.1 million), to aid the transition process underway in Bangui.
He placed the issue of debt on his agenda for the African Chairmanship of the A.U., pleading Africa’s case before the international community arguing for favourable treatment of its heavy foreign debt.
Sustainable Development as a Key Issue
In 2009, President Denis Sassou N’Guesso published two books concerning the challenges of sustainable development. The first “L’Afrique: Enjeu de la Planète” (Africa: The issue of the planet) reminds us that the fight to control climate change and to protect the environment will take place largely on the African continent. His work also offers a series of proposals that might allow Africa to claim its rightful place in a globalized world. The second book, entitled “Gondwana et l'arbre des ancêtres” (Godwana and the ancestors’ tree) is a comic book for children that stresses the importance of trees and their essential role in preserving life on Earth.
Honorary distinctions
- Congolese Great Cross of Merit
- Commander of the Central African National Order of Merit
- Simba Prize
- Lenin International Peace Prize
- World Peace Council Prize
- Panafrican Youth Movement Prize
- UNESCO Peace Prize
- Pax Mundi Prize of the Académie Internationale Diplomatique
- 1990 Universal Merit PEACE Prize
- OSPAA Prize
- Juliot Curie Medal (France)
- José Marti Medal (Cuba)
- Medal of the Democratic Republic of Korea
- Medal of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain)
- Medal of the Committee of European Excellence
- UNESCO Albert Einstein Gold Medal
- Gold Medal of the Association of African Universities
- Doctor Honoris Causa of Houari Boumedienne University of Algeria
- SORBONNE Medal (France)
Born on May 24, 1962 in Mouembé in the Cuvette region, Jean-Jacques Bouya is a pilot by training. A sitting member of Parliament since July 2012, Jean-Jacques Bouya has been Minister at the Presidency for Spatial Planning and Delegate-General for Major Public Works, since September 25, 2012.
From 1997 to 2003, he was Transportation Advisor to President Sassou N’Guesso, and in 2003 was named Delegate General for Major Public Works.
In June 2009, Jean-Jacques Bouya joined President Sassou N’Guesso’s campaign for the 2009 presidential election. On October 7, 2011 Jean-Jacques Bouya was elected as one of the 51 party executives of the PCT.
During the July 2012 parliamentary election, Jean-Jacques Bouya was elected to the National Assembly as the PCT candidate in the district of Tchikapika, located in the Cuvette region.
Established by Presidential decree in 2002, the General Delegation for Major Public Works (DGGT) is an administrative and technical body responsible for the development of infrastructure in the Congo.
It’s mission includes developing, signing, and overseeing government contracts and any public or private project worth more than 2 million dollars, conducting studies, launching calls for bids, and delegating project management.
In the 10 years since its inception, the DGGT has forged the development of the country’s infrastructure, ensuring the success of the “New Hope” project spearheaded by President Sassou N’Guesso to develop the infrastructure necessary to support economic and social development and economic diversification in the Congo.
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