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Congo (Vol 18, 2021)

in Africa Yearbook Online
Author:
Brett L. Carter
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(3,629 words)

On 21 March, President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo stood for his fourth election since reclaiming power in 1997. Sassou Nguesso left little to chance. In the run-up to the election, he purchased massive amounts of weapons from abroad, kept his chief opponents from the 2016 election in prison, and incarcerated journalists, civil society leaders, and opposition activists. The election was boycotted by most major political parties. Western governments refused to send monitors. Few citizens bothered to participate, since no one believed the election would be free and fair. Amid credible and widespread reports of fraud, Sassou Nguesso claimed 89% of the vote. The government struggled to contain the Covid-19 pandemic. Unable to organise an efficient vaccination campaign, the government resorted to more coercive measures, including a night-time curfew and requiring vaccination cards to access financial institutions, public transportation, and other basic services. Sassou Nguesso’s foreign policy was animated by the ongoing economic crisis, which yielded a debt-to-gdp ratio of 115%, and his legal troubles abroad, which culminated in the seizure of state assets in France and a settlement with the US Department of Justice. By year’s end, the government was poised to finalise an agreement with the imf that would provide $456 m and unlock as much as $900 m from other creditors.
Title:
Congo (Vol 18, 2021)
Author:
Brett L. Carter
Africa Yearbook Online
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/1872-9037_ayb_ayb2021_COM_0024
Language:
English
Source Editors:
Seidu M. Alidu, Benedikt Kamski, Andreas Mehler, and David Sebudubudu
First-online:
01 Dec 2022
ISSN:
1872-9037
Publisher:
Brill

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