Author: Congo Times

A Symbol Born of Nation-Building Since its formalisation by Decree n° 85-1410 in December 1985, the Coupe du Congo has operated as more than an annual sporting fixture; it has been a civic ritual entwined with the 15 August independence celebrations. Successive finals, traditionally presided over by the Head of State or his envoy, have reinforced the event’s role as a unifier, portraying football as a soft-power instrument capable of melding regional identities into a single national narrative (UNESCO report on Sport and Peace, 2023). The competition’s post-civil-war relaunch in 2000 symbolised societal renewal. Classics between AC Léopards, Diables Noirs,…

Ceremony Signals a New Chapter for the CSLC The polished marble hall of Brazzaville’s Supreme Court provided a solemn backdrop on 13 August as ten of the eleven commissioners of the Conseil supérieur de la liberté de communication raised their right hands and pledged to safeguard the nation’s information space. In the presence of Chief Justice Henri Bouka, the officials vowed to exercise their duties “with impartiality and in conformity with the Constitution”—an oath that, in the Congolese legal culture, confers both moral responsibility and judicial accountability. By choosing the courtroom rather than a ministerial venue, state authorities placed the…

A Strategic Recalibration of Territorial Governance With the promulgation of Decree 2025-87 on 31 March 2025, President Denis Sassou Nguesso completed a comprehensive overhaul of Congo-Brazzaville’s territorial administration. Fifteen prefects—ten confirmed veterans and five newcomers—now preside over the nation’s departments. A second decree, signed on 6 May 2025, installed an equal number of secretaries-general, the technocratic backbone of departmental offices. According to the Ministry of Territorial Administration, the two texts operationalise the 2019 organic law on decentralisation, which prioritises proximity between state services and citizens (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 2 April 2025). In Brazzaville’s diplomatic circles, the appointments are interpreted…

Ancestral Tribute Catalyses Contemporary Generosity The quiet village of Oubouesse, a few kilometres from Mossendjo in the verdant Niari department, recently became the stage for a gesture that fuses collective memory with forward-looking social policy. While presiding over the construction of a tombstone in honour of his father, the late traditional chief Piolé Joseph Nzila Lipouma, Professor Jean de Dieu Bolzer Nzila—renowned biochemist at the University of Marien Ngouabi—seized the moment to donate a consignment of football equipment to local youth. By intertwining filial piety and community upliftment, the scholar projected the resilient ethos that runs through Congolese society, where…

A High-Profile Succession Case in Brazzaville The administration of the late Adèle Barayo’s estate has become an unexpected barometer of public confidence in Congo-Brazzaville’s judicial institutions. Since 2020, the sizeable portfolio left by the revered Brazzaville businesswoman has been placed under court protection, with bailiff Jérôme Gérard Okemba Ngabondo appointed as judicial custodian. That appointment, originally viewed as conventional, now finds itself under intense scrutiny after allegations of embezzlement and misuse of authority surfaced this month (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 27 July 2025). At the centre of the challenge is Franck Chardin Aubin Tchibinda, executive director of the Legal Assistance…

Diaspora Talent as Soft Power Asset In many contemporary capitals, sports are no longer perceived merely as entertainment but as an extension of foreign policy. Brazzaville is no exception. The Republic of Congo has seen a growing cohort of Europe-based footballers transform weekend scorelines into subtle instruments of national influence. By wearing club jerseys across the continent while remaining proudly Congolese, these athletes weave a narrative of resilience and aspiration that reflects positively on their homeland, a vision discreetly encouraged by the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education. The policy architecture became clearer in late 2022 when the cabinet adopted…

A Strategic Pivot Toward Tourism-Led Diversification Few African states possess as harmonious a juxtaposition of biodiversity and political stability as the Republic of the Congo. While hydrocarbons remain the primary contributor to gross domestic product, Brazzaville’s latest National Development Plan underscores tourism as a strategic hedge against commodity volatility (Ministry of Planning, 2023). The policy shift coincides with international interest in nature-based travel; the UN World Tourism Organization estimates that eco-tourism will grow by almost 20 percent annually across Central Africa this decade (UNWTO, 2024). President Denis Sassou Nguesso’s administration has therefore encouraged public-private partnerships for lodge construction along the…

A fragile renaissance after FIFA’s suspension When the Bureau of the FIFA Council lifted the suspension of the Republic of Congo in early 2024, Brazzaville hailed the decision as a vindication of its commitment to transparent governance in sport. In the months that followed, stadiums filled once again, broadcasting contracts resumed and the Diables Rouges A’ secured a hard-fought qualification for the 2025 African Nations Championship to be co-hosted by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. That spirit of renaissance has now been jolted by the Congolese Football Federation’s decision to withhold its representatives from the official delegation, a move announced in…

Record BEPC 2025 Pass Rate Marks Historic Milestone The Republic of Congo has released the results of the 2025 Brevet d’Études du Premier Cycle, and the figures are arresting: 84 111 successful candidates out of 123 515, translating into a national pass rate of 68.1 %. The announcement, delivered by Minister of Pre-School, Primary, Secondary Education and Literacy Jean Luc Mouthou on the eve of the 15 August Independence Day festivities, positions the examination session as the most successful of the past ten years, according to ministry records. In a region where secondary transition rates have hovered around 56 %…

A Regulatory Imperative Under Strain Article 58 of the 2001 Congolese Highway Code obliges every motor vehicle to display a clearly readable registration plate. The rule echoes international norms endorsed by the Economic Community of Central African States and is designed to facilitate taxation, insurance and crime prevention. In practice, however, urban arteries in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire increasingly host cars, SUVs and even official pick-ups with missing or blurred plates, a phenomenon corroborated by recent roadside controls reported in the daily Les Dépêches de Brazzaville (March 2024). Security Concerns and Public Sentiment Residents interviewed by community radio station Radio Mucodec…