The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

September 3, 2019
The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
The Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville
Figure 1. The Republic of Congo at a Glance
(after its capital), is an oil-rich former French colony in
central Africa. It has extensive natural resources, but poor
governance and civil conflict have long hindered poverty
alleviation and development. Heavily reliant on oil exports,
the country is struggling to emerge from an economic crisis
precipitated by the collapse of global oil prices in 2014. The
price shock sent Congo into a deep recession in 2016-2017;
it remains in severe debt distress.
President Denis Sassou Nguesso (“SAH-soo n-GAY-soh”),
age 75, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. He has
led Congo since 1979, aside from a five-year hiatus during
a civil war in the 1990s. U.S. engagement has been limited,
with U.S. policy interests focused on Congo’s role in

regional stability and maritime security, energy resources
Source: CRS graphic. Statistics from CIA World Factbook; 2018
and investment potential, and participation in U.S.-backed
estimates unless otherwise specified.
forest and wildlife conservation projects. U.S.-Congo ties
have come under strain periodically due to U.S. concerns
Shortly after the election, gunmen attacked several security
with undemocratic and corrupt governance.
force stations and government buildings in southern zones
Historical Background
of the capital—an opposition stronghold and former base of
the Ninjas, a militia active during the civil war. In response,
Congo gained independence from France in 1960. Sassou
the government launched an offensive in the southern Pool
Nguesso, a military colonel, was appointed president by the
region. U.N. officials expressed alarm at reports of mass
Congolese Workers Party (PCT, after its French acronym)
arrests and torture; Amnesty International alleged that
in 1979. With pressure mounting for democratization,
government air strikes hit churches, schools, and medical
Sassou Nguesso oversaw multiparty polls in 1992, which he
facilities. Some questioned whether the operation was
lost. A civil war then erupted between rival ethnic and
aimed not at resurgent Ninjas but at political opponents.
political militias in which some 7,000-11,000 people died.
Security improved after the government signed a peace
With Angolan troops and French support, Sassou Nguesso
accord with the Ninjas in late 2017. Thousands of
retook the presidency by force in 1997. A new constitution
combatants have reportedly demobilized, and authorities
was promulgated in 2001 and Sassou Nguesso was returned
have withdrawn an arrest warrant for the Ninjas’ leader.
to office in a flawed presidential election in 2002. All
ensuing elections have been marred by irregularities, along
The PCT and its allies dominate the bicameral legislature.
with opposition allegations of fraud and institutional bias.
Members of Sassou Nguesso’s immediate family serve in
Political and Security Conditions
prominent positions in the ruling party, parliament, and
state-owned enterprises. Some analysts assess the growing
Sassou Nguesso has centralized power in the presidency
role of the president’s son, Denis-Christel—a member of
and among his family. A new constitution adopted by
parliament, diplomatic envoy, and former manager in the
referendum in 2015 shortened the presidential term from
national oil company—as a sign that he is being groomed
seven to five years but increased the number of permitted
for higher office, possibly the presidency. Denis-Christel
terms from two to three and abolished the presidential age
has denied rumors of a possible presidential run, however,
limit—clearing the way for Sassou Nguesso to run for
and many expect his father to seek reelection in 2021.
reelection again. The referendum drew criticism from the
fractious opposition as well as from some allies of Sassou
Human Rights and Governance Issues
Nguesso. Security forces violently dispersed large street
Observers documented a deterioration in human and civil
protests. Following the vote, the State Department
rights conditions in 2015-2016 as a number of opposition
expressed disappointment with a “deeply flawed process...
supporters and activists were arrested, tortured, or forcibly
marred by violence, intimidation, and severe restrictions on
disappeared. Several political detainees were released in
basic freedoms.” Sassou Nguesso went on to win reelection
2018, yet dozens remain in prison. Other human rights
in March 2016. The opposition decried the conditions of the
issues include arbitrary detention and harsh prison
vote, which was held months ahead of schedule amid a
conditions, limits on freedom of assembly and association,
telecommunications blackout. Observers documented
and impunity. Press freedom has been constrained by state
widespread fraud and irregularities; according to the State
closures of newspapers and expulsions of foreign reporters;
Department, some observers that deemed the poll credible
journalists reportedly self-censor to evade persecution.
“later admitted the government underwrote their work.”
Corruption is widespread. Sassou Nguesso and his family
have been targets of a long-running French judicial inquiry
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The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)
into real estate and other assets allegedly acquired through
As of September 2018, the State Department characterized
embezzlement and money laundering. The anti-corruption
U.S.-Congo ties as “positive and cooperative,” centering on
organization Global Witness alleged in 2019 that Claudia
“strengthening regional security, improving the living
Sassou Nguesso, the president’s daughter and a member of
standards of Congolese citizens, and safeguarding the
parliament, used state funds to purchase an apartment in the
environment.” The State Department nonetheless regularly
Trump International Hotel in New York City. Meanwhile,
documents human rights concerns, limitations on political
Denis-Christel was named in leaked financial records
freedoms, and poor business conditions. Sassou Nguesso
known as the “Panama Papers” indicating that he had used
has met with U.S. Presidents at the White House twice, in
offshore companies to embezzle oil revenues. Separately,
1990 and 2006, and attended the Obama Administration’s
Global Witness has accused Denis-Christel of embezzling
2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington, D.C.
over $50 million in public funds, asserting that some
The United States provides little bilateral aid apart from
laundered funds passed through the U.S. financial system.
International Military Education and Training (IMET), with
The Economy
$150,000 allocated in FY2018 and the same amount
Low oil prices since 2014 have weakened Congo’s
requested for FY2019 and FY2020. The United States also
economic outlook. The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
has provided regionally- and globally-allocated security aid
estimates that Congo’s GDP contracted by 2.8% in 2016
to support Congo’s contributions to a peacekeeping mission
and 3.1% in 2017 before rebounding to 0.8% growth in
in neighboring Central African Republic (CAR) and its role
2018. The IMF projects GDP growth to exceed 5% in 2019
in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. In 2017 and
due to rising oil production. Most Congolese remain poor
2018, the State Department ranked Congo as a Tier 3
and rely on subsistence farming. Other key sectors include
(worst-performing) country under the Trafficking Victims
logging, banking, and construction, but corruption and a
Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, P.L. 106-386), triggering
poor business climate hinder non-oil sector activity.
legal restrictions on certain U.S. aid, including IMET. The
Administration waived such restrictions for FY2018 but
“Poverty rates in [Congo] remain much higher than in
declined to waive them for FY2019. Congo improved to a
other oil-exporting countries, with 46 percent of the
Tier 2 Watch List ranking in 2019, which does not trigger
population living under the poverty line. A sizeable
aid restrictions for FY2020. The United States also provides
middle class with robust education, skills, and material
humanitarian aid for the Pool region and refugees fleeing
living standards does not exist on a large scale.”
CAR and the Democratic Republic of Congo, aid that is not
- State Department Investment Climate Statement (2019)
subject to TVPA restrictions. In FY2018, U.S. humanitarian
aid obligations totaled roughly $8.9 million, including $6.4
The oil price slide has exacerbated a fiscal crisis. Congo
million in emergency food assistance.
benefitted from sovereign debt relief in 2010 under a joint
The United States also provides conservation aid to Congo.
IMF-World Bank debt relief program, but external debt
In FY2019, Congress appropriated $40.0 million for the
surged in the ensuing years to reach 91% of GDP in 2016.
Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment
According to the IMF, the debt resulted from high public
(CARPE), the primary U.S. government contribution to the
spending financed through loan agreements with China and
“nontransparent oil
multi-country Congo Basin Forest Partnership initiative.
-for-infrastructure barter arrangements”
USAID and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manage
with oil traders. In mid-2019, after Congo and China agreed
these funds. The State Department has designated Congo a
to a debt restructuring, which was a precondition for IMF
focus country for U.S. anti-poaching and counter-wildlife
support, the IMF approved a $449 million loan package.
trafficking aid pursuant to the Eliminate, Neutralize, and
Conservation Concerns
Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act (P.L. 114-231).
As one of six countries that share the Congo Basin, the
Economic ties center on Congo’s energy sector, though the
world’s second-largest area of contiguous tropical rainforest
value of U.S. oil imports has dropped in the past decade as
(after the Amazon), Congo faces conservation challenges,
U.S. domestic supply has increased. U.S. petroleum imports
including wildlife poaching and trafficking. Roughly two-
totaled $407 million in 2018, when they accounted for 94%
thirds of Congo’s territory remains covered in dense forest,
of U.S. imports from Congo. The State Department reports
but the conversion of forested areas for agriculture and
that U.S. firms “have cited corruption as an impediment to
infrastructure development has contributed to deforestation.
investment, particularly in the petroleum sector.” Congo is
Illegal logging is another driver of forest degradation. A
eligible for duty-free treatment of certain exports to the
2014 analysis by Chatham House, a think-tank, found that
United States, including oil, under the African Growth and
“around 70–75% of all [timber] harvesting in Congo is
Opportunity Act (AGOA, Title I, P.L. 106-200, as amended
illegal in some way.” Illegal logging is reportedly driven by
and extended), but not for expanded apparel export benefits
demand from emerging economies, notably China.
under the Act. Congo’s deep-water port in Pointe-Noire can
U.S. Relations and Assistance
receive and send shipments directly with the United States.
U.S.-Congo ties were minimal in the decades after
A bilateral investment treaty entered into force in August
independence as Congo, under a self-declared Marxist
1994. A bilateral Open Skies Air Transport Agreement
regime, established close relations with the Soviet Union,
signed in 2018 affords reciprocal airline market access.
China, and Cuba. Diplomatic ties were severed entirely
Tomas F. Husted, Analyst in African Affairs
between 1965 and 1977. Bilateral relations warmed in the
Alexis Arieff, Specialist in African Affairs
1990s, after the PCT formally disavowed Marxism.
IF11301
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The Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville)

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