105-696: The Liouesso Hydroelectric Power Station is a 19.2 megawatts (25,700 hp) hydroelectric power station in the Republic of the Congo . The government-owned power station was commercially commissioned in May 2017. Constructed by the China Gezhouba Group , the renewable energy infrastructure project cost approximately US$ 110 million to construct. The power station is located in the town of Ouesso , in Ouesso District , in
210-633: A constitutional referendum in October resulted in a changed constitution that allowed him to run during the 2016 presidential election . He won the election believed by some to be fraudulent. After violent protests in the capital, Sassou attacked the Pool region where the Ninja rebels of the civil war used to be based, in what was believed to be a distraction. This led to a revival of the Ninja rebels who launched attacks against
315-715: A 3-year SDR 69.5m (US$ 100m) enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF) and was on the verge of announcing a renewed annual agreement when civil war broke out in Congo in 1997. Congo's democratic progress was derailed in 1997 when Lissouba and Sassou started to fight for power in the civil war . As presidential elections scheduled for July 1997 approached, tensions between the Lissouba and Sassou camps mounted. On 5 June, President Lissouba's government forces surrounded Sassou's compound in Brazzaville, and Sassou ordered members of his private militia (known as "Cobras") to resist. Thus began
420-558: A 4-month conflict that destroyed or damaged some of Brazzaville and caused tens of thousands of civilian deaths. In October, the Angolan government began an invasion of Congo to install Sassou in power and the Lissouba government fell. After that, Sassou declared himself president. In the elections in 2002 , Sassou won with almost 90% of the vote cast. His 2 main rivals, Lissouba and Bernard Kolelas, were prevented from competing. A remaining rival, André Milongo advised his supporters to boycott
525-571: A French-speaking university in the service of African development was presented and adopted following the Dakar Summit in 1989. The Senghor University in Alexandria , Egypt is a private postgraduate institution that trains managers and high-level trainers in areas that are a priority for development in Francophone Africa . It directs the capacities of the managers and trainers to the action and
630-414: A common language through their knowledge. Education, like access to autonomy and information for all, begins with all children having access to a full primary education free of any inequality. It involves an integrated approach of teaching and training from primary to secondary school that will lead to employment. Education policies must also give French an integral place alongside the partner languages. Last,
735-736: A fundamental shift from the cultural to the political sphere. Jacques Legendre, the French senate's rapporteur on the Francophonie, expressed his concern that the OIF was becoming "a second-rate duplicate of the General Assembly of the UN". Many actors of the francophone sphere interested in the future of the organisation, including former French ministers or secretaries of state for the Francophonie such as Pierre-André Wiltzer and Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, have been calling on
840-510: A government characterized by budget problems and "overstaffing". Petroleum extraction has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy. In 2008, the oil sector accounted for 65% of the GDP , 85% of government revenue, and 92% of exports. The country has untapped mineral wealth. In the 1980s, rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance larger-scale development projects. GDP grew an average of 5% annually. The government has mortgaged
945-764: A halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. When Sassou Nguesso returned to power in October 1997, he publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with international financial institutions. Economic progress was "badly hurt" by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which "worsened" the republic's budget deficit. The administration presides over an "uneasy internal peace" and faces "difficult" economic problems of stimulating recovery and reducing poverty, with record-high oil prices since 2003. Natural gas and diamonds are other exports, while Congo
1050-741: A local legislature after the adoption of the 1946 constitution that established the Fourth Republic . Following the revision of the French constitution that established the Fifth Republic in 1958, AEF dissolved into its constituent parts, each of which became an autonomous colony within the French Community . During these reforms, Middle Congo became known as the Republic of the Congo in 1958 and published its first constitution in 1959. Antagonism between
1155-464: A lowercase "f"), or francosphere (often capitalized in English), also refers to the global community of French-speaking peoples, comprising a network of private and public organizations promoting equal ties among countries where French or Belgian people or France or Belgium played a significant historical role, culturally, militarily, or politically. The modern organisation was created in 1970. Its motto
SECTION 10
#17328592100361260-622: A moratorium on the admission of new members, each new Sommet de la Francophonie has witnessed the admission of batches of new members that have little, if anything, to do with the French language: Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Estonia and Montenegro in 2010; Qatar and Uruguay in 2012; Mexico, Costa Rica and Kosovo in 2014. On that occasion, the Montreal daily Le Devoir , which reports extensively on
1365-563: A new investment code intended to attract foreign capital. The country also adopted a new investment code intended to attract foreign capital. Despite these success, Congo’s investment climate has challenges, offering few meaningful incentives for new investors. Economic reform efforts continued with the support of international organizations, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund . The reform program came to
1470-591: A portion of its petroleum earnings, contributing to a "shortage of revenues". On 12 January 1994, the devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in an inflation of 46% in 1994, and inflation has subsided since. Between 1994-96, the economy underwent a difficult transition. The Congo took a number of measures to liberalize its economy, including reforming the tax, investment, labor, timber, and hydrocarbon codes. In 2002-03, Congo privatized parastatals, primarily banks, telecommunications, and transportation monopolies, to help improve and unreliable infrastructure. By
1575-583: A range of smaller parties. Sassou's regime has seen corruption revelations, with attempts to censor them. One French investigation found over 110 bank accounts and dozens of "lavish properties" in France. Sassou denounced embezzlement investigations as "racist" and "colonial". Denis Christel Sassou-Nguesso, son of Denis Sassou Nguesso, has been named in association with the Panama Papers . On 27 March 2015, Sassou Nguesso announced that his government would hold
1680-433: A referendum on changing the country's 2002 constitution to allow him to run for a third consecutive term in office. On 25 October, the government held a referendum on allowing Sassou Nguesso to run in the next election. The government claimed that the proposal was approved by 92% of voters, with 72% of eligible voters participating. The opposition who boycotted the referendum said that the government's statistics were false and
1785-613: A relationship some refer to as slavery. The Congolese Human Rights Observatory says that the Pygmies are treated as property in the same way as pets. On 30 December 2010, the Congolese parliament adopted a law to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples. This law is "the first" of its kind in Africa. The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based mainly on petroleum , support services, and
1890-456: Is égalité , complémentarité , solidarité ("equality, complementarity, and solidarity"), a deliberate allusion to France's motto liberté, égalité, fraternité . Starting as a small group of French-speaking countries, the Francophonie has since evolved into a global organization whose numerous branches cooperate with its member states in the fields of culture, science, economy, justice, and peace. The convention which created
1995-472: Is an international organization representing countries and regions where French is a lingua franca or customary language, where a significant proportion of the population are francophones (French speakers), or where there is a notable affiliation with French culture . The organization comprises 88 member states and governments; of these, 54 states and governments are full members, 7 are associate members and 27 are observers. The term francophonie (with
2100-540: Is dependent on the oil sector and economic growth has slowed since the post-2015 drop in oil prices . Christianity is the most widely professed faith in the country. According to the 2024 rendition of the World Happiness Report , the Republic of the Congo is ranked 89th among 140 nations. It is named after the Congo River whose name is derived from Kongo , a Bantu kingdom which occupied its mouth around
2205-522: Is distributed to the town of Ouesso and to neighboring villages in Ouesso District, in the Sangha Region. It has been reported that the construction of this HPP cost about US$ 110 million. Other reliable references have indicated that the government of the Republic of the Congo invested US$ 92 million. The table below illustrates the funding sources for the power station. In May 2022, the government of
SECTION 20
#17328592100362310-739: Is from June to August, while in the majority of the country, the wet season has 2 rainfall maxima: 1 in March–May and another in September–November. In 2006–07, researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society studied gorillas in "heavily forested" regions centered on the Ouesso District of the Sangha Region . They suggest a population on the order of 125,000 western lowland gorillas whose isolation from humans has been mostly preserved by "inhospitable" swamps. The government of
2415-534: Is the French international civil servant Dominique Hoppe. TV5Monde is the first international French language television network, available in many countries. On television and online the audience of TV5Monde has grown rapidly. TV5 is one of the three largest television networks in the world (along with the BBC and CNN), and is considered one of the greatest achievements of the Francophonie. It provides wide access to original television programmes in French, and contributes to
2520-481: Is to establish close cooperation in all areas of municipal activities. Its missions are to strengthen local democracy, building municipal capacities, and to support the populations. The association pursues its actions in the domains of health, culture, youth and education, urban development, training, and municipal infrastructures. The association is presided by Anne Hidalgo (Paris' mayor) since 2009, with Pierre Baillet as permanent secretary. The project of creating
2625-580: Is to plan Summits. This conference also supervises the execution of the Summit decisions made by the ministerial conferences on a day-to-day basis, about the examination of the propositions of the budget distribution. The objectives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF) are to represent to the French-speaking authorities, the interests of the French-speaking communities, to promote
2730-542: The Commonwealth of Nations , the Francophonie has as its stated aims the promotion of democracy and human rights . Following the 3 November 2000 Déclaration de Bamako , the Francophonie has given itself the financial means to attain a number of set objectives in that regard. The Francophonie intends to contribute significantly to promoting peace, democracy and support for the rule of law and human rights by focusing on prevention. Political stability and full rights for all,
2835-413: The Congo River basin. From the 13th century the present day territory was dominated by a confederation led by Vungu which included Kakongo and Ngoyo . Loango emerged in the 16th century. In the late 19th century France colonised the region and incorporated it into French Equatorial Africa . The Republic of the Congo was established on 28 November 1958 and gained independence from France in 1960. It
2940-459: The Congo River . Massamba-Débat's regime invited some hundred Cuban army troops into the country to train his party's militia units. These troops helped his government survive a coup d'état in 1966 led by paratroopers loyal to future President Marien Ngouabi . Massamba-Débat's regime ended with a bloodless coup in September 1968 . Marien Ngouabi, who had participated in the coup, assumed
3045-649: The Kongo , the Loango , and the Teke —built trade links leading into the Congo Basin . The Portuguese explorer , Diogo Cão reached the mouth of the Congo in 1484. Commercial relationships grew between the inland Bantu kingdoms and European merchants who traded in commodities, manufactured goods, and people captured and enslaved in the hinterlands . After centuries as a central hub for transatlantic trade, direct European colonization of
3150-830: The Mbochis (who favored Jacques Opangault ) and the Laris and Kongos (who favored Fulbert Youlou , the first black mayor elected in French Equatorial Africa) resulted in a series of riots in Brazzaville in February 1959, which the French Army subdued. Elections took place in April 1959. By the time the Congo became independent in August 1960, Opangault, the former opponent of Youlou, agreed to serve under him. Youlou, an avid anti-communist, became
3255-532: The Nazi occupation of France during World War II , Brazzaville functioned as the symbolic capital of Free France between 1940 and 1943. The Brazzaville Conference of 1944 heralded a period of reform in French colonial policy. Congo "benefited" from the postwar expansion of colonial administrative and infrastructure spending as a result of its central geographic location within AEF and the federal capital at Brazzaville. It had
Liouesso Hydroelectric Power Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-463: The Republic of Senegal , became Secretary General on January 1, 2003. He was reelected on 29 September 2006, for a second mandate during the Summit of the Francophonie of Bucharest , and elected again in 2010 at the Summit of the Francophonie of Montreux for another mandate which ran until 31 December 2014. At the 2014 summit in Dakar , former Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean was chosen to lead
3465-504: The Sangha Region of the Republic of the Congo. Ouesso sits on the Sangha River , a tributary of the Congo River , near the international border with Cameroon . This is approximately 829 kilometres (515 mi), by road, north of Brazzaville , the capital and largest city in that country. The geographical coordinates of Liouesso Hydroelectric Power Station are 1°26'07.0"N, 16°10'42.0"E (Latitude:1.435278; Longitude:16.178333). In 2006,
3570-697: The UNESCO of the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (20 October 2005). At the national level, there is the problem of promoting the French language within the context of its co-existence with other partner or international languages in most member countries, especially in Africa . Maintaining the relative importance of the status of French is an imperative that requires solidarity and
3675-688: The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for this power station was awarded to Clackson Power Company of South Africa. Later, the EPC contract was switched to the China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC). CGGC was able to achieve financial close for this power station, in January 2014. On 30 May 2017, the completed power station was commercially commissioned. The power house comprises three Francis type turbines, each rated at 6.4 MW, for capacity generation of 19.2 MW. The energy generated here
3780-444: The same reason . Thailand, an observer nation, was suspended in 2014 following the 2013–14 political crisis . In 2018, Louisiana became the first US state to join, as an observer. In 2021, the government of Nova Scotia announced its intention to apply for observer status. Although Algeria has one of the largest French-speaking communities in the world, it is not a member of the organisation. The International Organization of
3885-699: The 1-party state. Following the presidential elections, fighting restarted in the Pool region between government forces and rebels led by Pastor Ntumi ; a peace treaty to end the conflict was signed in April 2003. Sassou won the following presidential election in July 2009 . According to the Congolese Observatory of Human Rights, a non-governmental organization, the election was marked by "very low" turnout and "fraud and irregularities". In March 2015, Sassou announced that he wanted to run for yet another term in office and
3990-462: The Agency for Cultural and Technical Co-operation ( Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique ) was signed on 20 March 1970 by the representatives of the 21 states and governments under the influence of African Heads of State, Léopold Sédar Senghor of Senegal, Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, Hamani Diori of Niger and Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. Based on the sharing of the French language,
4095-707: The Congo River delta began in the 19th century, subsequently eroding the power of the Bantu societies in the region. The area north of the Congo River came under French sovereignty in 1880 as a result of Pierre de Brazza 's treaty with King Makoko of the Bateke . After the death of Makoko, his widow Queen Ngalifourou upheld the terms of the treaty and became an ally to the colonizers. This Congo Colony became known first as French Congo , then as Middle Congo in 1903. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising
4200-690: The Congo is a member of the African Union , the United Nations , La Francophonie , the Economic Community of Central African States , and the Non-Aligned Movement . It has become the 4th-largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea , providing the country with a degree of prosperity, with political and economic instability in some areas, and unequal distribution of oil revenue nationwide. Its economy
4305-567: The Francophone countries of Africa , the Arab world , Southeast Asia , Central and Eastern Europe , and the Caribbean . Its mission is to contribute to the construction and consolidation of a scientific space in French. It supports the French language, cultural and linguistic diversity, law and democracy, and the environment and sustainable development . It also provides an important mobility program for
Liouesso Hydroelectric Power Station - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-408: The Francophonie ( Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie ) in 1998 to remind its intergovernmental status. Finally in 2005, the adoption of a new Charter of the Francophonie ( la Charte de la Francophonie ) gives the name to the Agency of international Organisation of the Francophonie ( Organisation internationale de la Francophonie ). The position of Secretary-General was created in 1997 at
4515-579: The Francophonie is constituted by member sections representing 77 parliaments or interparliamentary organizations. The Secretary General is the French senator Jacques Legendre . The Agency of the Francophonie is the main operator of the cultural, scientific, technical, economic and legal cooperation programs decided at the Summits. It is also the legal seat of the Secretary General and is used by him as an administrative support. The agency also contributes to
4620-533: The Francophonie leads political actions and multilateral cooperation according to the missions drawn by the Summits of the Francophonie. The Summits gather the Heads of states and governments of the member countries of the International Organization of the Francophonie where they discuss international politics, world economy, French-speaking cooperation, human rights, education, culture and democracy. Actions of
4725-579: The Francophonie relies on five operating agencies to carry out its mandate: l' Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF); TV5Monde ; l' Association Internationale des Maires Francophones (AIMF); l'Association des Fonctionnaires Francophones des Organisations Internationales (AFFOI); and l' Université Senghor d'Alexandrie. Established in 1961 in Montreal , the Association of Francophone Universities gathers institutions of higher education and research among
4830-459: The Francophonie to non-French speakers - it is translated into 12 languages. The International Association of French-speaking Mayors was created in Quebec City in 1979 Jean Pelletier and Jacques Chirac , then the respective mayors of Quebec City and Paris with an initial group of 20 founder-cities. It is an operating agency for urban development gathering 48 countries or governments. The goal
4935-521: The International Organization of the Francophonie are scheduled over a period of four years and funded by contributions from its members. The Charte de la Francophonie defines the role and missions of the organization. The current charter was adopted in Antananarivo , on 23 November 2005. The summit held in Ouagadougou , Burkina Faso on 26–27 November 2004 saw the adoption of a strategic framework for
5040-413: The Middle Congo, Gabon , Chad , and Oubangui-Chari (which later became the Central African Republic ). The French designated Brazzaville as the federal capital. Economic development during the first 50 years of colonial rule in Congo centered on natural resource extraction. Construction of the Congo–Ocean Railway following World War I has been estimated to have cost at least 14,000 lives. During
5145-420: The OIF and its summits, remarked that several members of this "merry madhouse" that the OIF had become did not even recognise Kosovo as a country. The "endless enlargement" of the Organisation accelerated following the arrival at the head of the OIF of former UN Secretary General Boutros-Ghali who declared early in his term in 1998 that French being in his opinion the language of solidarity, tolerance, respect for
5250-413: The OIF has climbed from 21 in 1970 to 88 member states and territories in 2018. This sharp increase in the number of member states, many of whom have little to no connection with the French language and culture, has been a matter of growing concern. In their 1996 study on the Francophone space, linguists Daniel Baggioni and Roland Breton pointed out, alluding to the applications of Bulgaria and Angola to join
5355-447: The OIF to refocus on its fundamentals: language and culture. Human rights and fundamental freedoms, despite having been declared "categorical imperatives" by Secretary General Boutros-Ghali in 1998, are routinely abused by many members states of the OIF. The deplorable track record of many OIF member states regarding human rights came to the fore during the 1999 Francophonie Summit in Moncton, Canada, when Canadian dailies loudly denounced
SECTION 50
#17328592100365460-420: The OIF, that only politico-diplomatic criteria could explain these odd extensions of the OIF. Xavier Deniau, founder of the Association des parlementaires de langue française (now the Parliamentary assembly) and author of La Francophonie , expressed concern that the enlargement of the OIF to countries where French is practically nonexistent risks diluting the effectiveness of the organisation. Despite calls for
5565-478: The Party (CMP) was then named to head an interim government, with Joachim Yhombi-Opango serving as president. Two years later, Yhombi-Opango was forced from power, and Denis Sassou Nguesso became the new president. Sassou Nguesso aligned the country with the Eastern Bloc and signed a 20-year friendship pact with the Soviet Union. Over the years, Sassou had to rely more on political repression and less on patronage to maintain his dictatorship. The collapse of
5670-467: The Republic is a semi-presidential system with an elected president who appoints the Council of Ministers, or Cabinet . The council, including the Prime Minister, is selected from the elected representatives in Parliament. Since the 1990s, the country has had a multi-party political system which is dominated by President Denis Sassou Nguesso . Sassou Nguesso is backed by his own Congolese Labour Party ( French : Parti Congolais du Travail ) as well as
5775-404: The Republic of the Congo and Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso "personal friends", nothing came out of this declaration. The French daily Le Monde noted at the time that if respect for fundamental freedoms was to become a criterion for membership in the OIF, the organisation would simply cease to exist. French President Macron's surprise announcement in May 2018 that France officially backed
5880-438: The Republic of the Congo grew by 6% in 2014 and is expected to have grown by 7.5% in 2015. In 2018, the Republic of the Congo joined the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries . Congo–Ocean Railway was built by forced laborers during the 1930s. Some colonial architectural heritage is preserved. Restoration of architectural works is underway in Brazzaville, for example, at the Basilica of Sainte-Anne du Congo, which
5985-410: The Republic of the Congo signed agreements with CGGC and ENERGAZ, a Congolese IPP, to rehabilitate this power station, whose output had drastically reduced and to expand the distribution network of the power plant which is not yet grid-connected. Republic of the Congo Congo , officially the Republic of the Congo or Congo Republic , also known as Congo-Brazzaville , is a country located on
6090-411: The Soviet Union in 1991 resulted in the ending of Soviet aid to prop up the regime, and it abdicated power. Pascal Lissouba who became Congo's first elected president (1992–1997) during the period of multi-party democracy attempted to implement economic reforms with IMF backing to liberalize the economy. In the years 1993 and 1994 the first Congo Civil War in Congo occurred. In June 1996, IMF approved
6195-399: The army in April 2016, leading 80,000 people to flee their homes. A ceasefire deal was signed in December 2017. In 2023, the Forest Massif of Odzala-Kokoua , for its savanna ecosystems and post-glacial recolonisation of forests, was listed as a natural UNESCO World Heritage Site . Natural landscapes range from the savanna plains in the North Niari flooded forests, to the Congo River, to
6300-450: The authority of the three main institutions of the Francophonie: the Summits, the Ministerial Conference and the Permanent Council. The Summit, the highest authority in the Francophonie, is held every two years and gathers the heads of states and governments of all member states of the OIF around certain themes of discussion. It is chaired by the head of state or government of the host country and this person assumes that responsibility until
6405-504: The close of the summit that a human rights observatory would be established to tackle the problem. Given that during his 12-year tenure, President Chirac, dubbed Papa Afrique or Chirac l'Africain , had confided more than once that Africa was not ready for multi-party democracy ( l'Afrique n'est pas mûre pour le multipartisme ) and was known for his close relationship with many entrenched African strongmen, calling Omar Bongo of Gabon, Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo, Denis Sassou Nguesso of
SECTION 60
#17328592100366510-414: The colony's founder, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazzà , an Italian nobleman whose title referred to the town of Brazzacco, in the Italian comune of Moruzzo in Friuli Venezia Giulia , whose name derived from the Latin Brattius or Braccius , both meaning literally " arm ". Bantu-speaking peoples who founded tribes during the Bantu expansions , mostly displaced and absorbed the earlier inhabitants of
6615-457: The conservation of these resources with effective anti-poverty campaigns. In 2013, the United Nations Volunteers programme received a financial contribution from the Federal Public Service (FPS) Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium for the years 2013 and 2014 to support the outreach to the francophone world and the promotion of volunteerism via its Online Volunteering service. The membership of
6720-402: The country and installed a civilian provisional government headed by Alphonse Massamba-Débat . Under the 1963 constitution, Massamba-Débat was elected president for a five-year term. During Massamba-Débat's term in office , the regime adopted " scientific socialism " as the country's constitutional ideology. In 1964, Congo sent an official team with a single athlete at the Olympic Games for
6825-406: The country is located on the Equator, the climate is more consistent year-round, with the average day temperature a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights generally between 16 °C (61 °F) and 21 °C (70 °F). The average yearly rainfall ranges from 1,100 millimetres (43 in) in the Niari Valley in the south to over 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in central parts. The dry season
6930-429: The country. The Kongo are the largest ethnic group and form roughly half of the population. The most significant subgroups of the Kongo are Laari , in Brazzaville and Pool regions, and the Vili , around Pointe-Noire and along the Atlantic coast. The second largest group is the Teke , who live to the north of Brazzaville, with 16.9% of the population. Mbochi live in the north, east and in Brazzaville and form 13.1% of
7035-410: The democracy, the rule of law and the respect of human rights. Furthermore, it follows the execution by the operators of the Francophonie of action plans elaborated by the Conference of the members using French as a common language It also favours the cooperation and strengthens the solidarity within the French-speaking communities, mainly towards the parliaments of the South. The Parliamentary Assembly of
7140-453: The development of the French language and to the promotion of the diverse languages and cultures of its members, while encouraging mutual understanding between them and the Francophonie. For this reason, it is a place of exchange and dialogue and its simultaneous in Francophone countries. The Agency's headquarters are in Paris and it has three regional branches in Libreville , Gabon; Lomé , Togo; and Hanoi , Vietnam. Mauritania 's membership
7245-401: The development of the language and French-speaking cultures. It broadcasts the different forms of the French language spoken around the world, with all their accents. It reaches beyond native speakers of French; the majority of those who can receive it and part of its audience comprise viewers for whom French is not the mother tongue. Thanks to subtitles in various languages, it provides access to
7350-406: The elections and then withdrew from the race. A constitution , agreed upon by referendum in January 2002 , granted the president new powers, extended his term to 7 years and introduced a new bicameral assembly. International observers took issue with the organization of the presidential election and the constitutional referendum, both of which were reminiscent in their organization of Congo's era of
7455-488: The end of 1996 Congo had made progress in various areas targeted for reform. It made great strides toward macroeconomic stabilization through improving public finances and restructuring external debt. This change was accompanied by improvements in the structure of expenditures, with a reduction in personnel expenditures. Before June 1997, Congo and the United States ratified a bilateral investment treaty designed to facilitate and protect foreign investment. The country also adopted
7560-450: The exercise of responsibilities in certain domains for the development: the project management, the financial institutions, the environment, the nutrition-health and of the cultural heritage. The Senghor University regularly organizes seminaries to help its students and of the public specialized in the domains of its action, by collaborating with the other operators and the institutions of the Francophonie. The International Organization of
7665-464: The first President of the Republic of the Congo. Since the political tension was so high in Pointe-Noire , Youlou moved the capital to Brazzaville. The Republic of the Congo became fully independent from France on 15 August 1960. Youlou ruled as the country's first president until labor elements and rival political parties instigated a 3-day uprising that ousted him. The Congolese military took over
7770-636: The first time in its history. In 1965, Congo established relations with the Soviet Union , the People's Republic of China , North Korea , and North Vietnam . Under his presidency, the Congo began to industrialize . Some large production units with large workforces were built: the textile factory of Kinsoundi, the palm groves of Etoumbi, the match factory of Bétou , the shipyards of Yoro, etc. Health centers were created as well as school groups (colleges and elementary school). The country's school enrollment rate became
7875-436: The government for support and subsistence. Before the 1997 war, about 9,000 Europeans and other non-Africans lived in Congo, most of whom were French ; a fraction of this number remains. Around 300 American immigrants reside in the Congo. According to a 2011–12 survey, the total fertility rate was 5.1 children born per woman, with 4.5 in urban areas and 6.5 in rural areas. Ethnologue recognizes 62 spoken languages in
7980-419: The governments of Canada and Quebec, pushed for the adoption of a Charter in order for the organization to sanction member States that are known to have poor records when it comes to the protection of human rights and the practice of democracy. Such a measure was debated at least twice but was never approved. The International Organization of the Francophonie aims at connecting the various peoples using French as
8085-668: The highest in Black Africa. On the night of February 14 to 15, 1965, 3 public officials of the Republic of the Congo were kidnapped: Lazare Matsocota [ fr ] (prosecutor of the Republic), Joseph Pouabou [ fr ] (President of the Supreme Court), and Anselme Massouémé [ fr ] (director of the Congolese Information Agency). The bodies of 2 of these men were later found, mutilated, by
8190-457: The individual, cultural diversity, universality and openness, the OIF needed to open itself to non francophones. The motivation of small and mid-size countries in joining the organisation appears to be a desire to increase their international visibility. In October 2018, the Irish Minister of State for European Affairs explained that Ireland's accession to the OIF with observer status was one of
8295-423: The missions of this new intergovernmental organization are the promotion of the cultures of its members and the intensification of the cultural and technical cooperation between them, as well as the solidarity and the connection between them through dialogue. The Francophonie project ceaselessly evolved since the creation of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Co-operation, it became the intergovernmental Agency of
8400-413: The next summit. By enabling the heads of state and government to hold a dialogue on all international issues of the day, the summit serves to develop strategies and goals of the Francophonie so as to ensure the organisation's influence on the world scene. The Ministerial Conference of the Francophonie gathers the foreign or francophone affairs ministers of member states and governments every year to ensure
8505-419: The nomination of Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda's longtime foreign minister, as the next secretary general of the OIF was seen by many as a setback for the defense and promotion of human rights. An open letter signed by four former French ministers for international cooperation condemned this move, on one hand because it was taken unilaterally by the French president without consultation with the other member states of
8610-796: The north, and Cabinda ( Angola ) to the southwest. It has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean. The southwest is a coastal plain for which the primary drainage is the Kouilou-Niari River ; the interior of the country consists of a central plateau between 2 basins to the south and north. Forests are under increasing exploitation pressure. Congo had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 8.89/10, ranking it 12th globally out of 172 countries. Congo lies within 4 terrestrial ecoregions: Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests , Northwestern Congolian lowland forests , Western Congolian swamp forests , and Western Congolian forest–savanna mosaic . Since
8715-437: The oldest and most powerful, which likely included Nsundi , Mbata , Mpangu , and possibly Kundi and Okanga . South of these was Mpemba which stretched from modern-day Angola to the Congo River . It included various kingdoms such as Mpemba Kasi and Vunda . To its west across the Congo River was a confederation of three small states; Vungu (its leader), Kakongo , and Ngoyo . Some Bantu kingdoms—including those of
8820-451: The organisation's silence regarding widespread human rights abuses by member states ruled by "tyrants". It was pointed out that no less than 35 member states of the OIF had been accused of human rights violations by Amnesty International , while 15 member states were among the countries listed by Reporters Without Borders as systematically violating freedom of the press. Prime Minister Chrétien and President Chirac felt compelled to declare at
8925-562: The organization starting in January 2015. The Secretary General of the Francophonie is elected during the Summit, and serves as the spokesperson and the official representative internationally of the political actions of the Francophonie. The Secretary General is responsible for proposing priority areas for multilateral Francophonie actions. Their job is to facilitate Francophone multilateral cooperation and to ensure that programs and activities of all operating agencies work in harmony. The Secretary General carries out their four-year mandate under
9030-409: The period 2004–2014. The four missions drawn by the Summit of the Francophonie are: The primary mission of the organization is the promotion of the French language as an international language and the promotion of worldwide cultural and linguistic diversity in the era of economic globalization . In this regard, countries that are members of the Francophonie have contributed largely to the adoption by
9135-616: The political continuity of the Summit. This conference ensures that the decisions made during the previous Summits are carried out and to plan the next Summit. It also recommends new members and observers to the Summit. The Permanent Council of the Francophonie gathers the Ambassadors of the member countries, chaired by the General Secretary of the Francophonie and under the authority of the Ministerial Conference, its main task
9240-409: The pooling of means and resources among countries committed to the French language within their respective societies. The Francophonie has been a pioneer in terms of the recognition of cultural diversity and dialogue of cultures. It must find ways of confronting the trend towards uniformity that accompanies globalization and fostering the preservation and development of cultural diversity. Similar to
9345-443: The population. Pygmies make up 2% of Congo's population. Religion in the Republic of the Congo by the Association of Religion Data Archives (2015) According to CIA World Factbook, the people of the Republic of the Congo are largely a mix of Catholics (33.1%), Awakening Lutherans (22.3%), and other Protestants (19.9%) as of 2007. Followers of Islam make up 1.6%; this is primarily due to an influx of foreign workers into
9450-595: The presidency on 31 December 1968. One year later, Ngouabi proclaimed the Congo Africa's first "people's republic", the People's Republic of the Congo , and announced the decision of the National Revolutionary Movement to change its name to the Congolese Labour Party (PCT). He survived an attempted coup in 1972 and was assassinated on 18 March 1977. An 11-member Military Committee of
9555-601: The region, the Pygmy people, about 1500 BC. The Bakongo , a Bantu ethnic group that occupied parts of what later became Angola, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formed the basis for ethnic affinities and rivalries among those countries. By the 13th century, there were three main confederations of states in the western Congo Basin. In the east were the Seven Kingdoms of Kongo dia Nlaza , considered to be
9660-450: The research potential of French-language academic streams must be promoted. The Francophonie is committed to working towards sustainable development by supporting the improvement of economic governance, capacity building, cooperation and the search for common positions in major international negotiations. It's necessary to manage durably the natural resources, particularly the energy and the water, and politics are established to make sure of
9765-652: The rugged mountains and forests of Mayombe , and 170 km of beaches along the Atlantic coast. Congo is located in the central-western part of sub-Saharan Africa , along the Equator , lying between latitudes 4°N and 5°S , and longitudes 11° and 19°E . To the south and east of it is the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It is bounded by Gabon to the west, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to
9870-634: The seventh leaders' summit held in Hanoi . Canadian Jean-Louis Roy was secretary of the Agence de coopération culturelle et technique from 1989 until the formal creation of the Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie in 1997 with former Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali as the first secretary-general of La Francophonie . Abdou Diouf , the former president of
9975-560: The steps set out in "Global Ireland", the Government's initiative to double the scope and impact of Ireland's global footprint in the period to 2025. Following the arrival of Boutros-Ghali, the OIF had also seen a steady increase in the number of its missions and priority action areas — peace and conflict prevention, human rights, democracy, international cooperation, sustainable development, cultural and linguistic diversity, education and training, youth, gender equality, civil society — bringing
10080-543: The students, the researchers and the professors. Its mission is to support the French language and the linguistic diversity within International Organisations . Every year the association coordinates the day of French language within International Organisations. It also organizes seminaries to increase awareness about the importance of linguistic, cultural and conceptual diversity. The president
10185-479: The subject of the Bamako declaration, are considered key to sustainable development. The Francophonie has chosen to provide its member countries with access to the expertise of its extensive intergovernmental, institutional, academic and non-governmental network with a view to building national capacities, resolving conflict and providing support for ending crises. In recent years, some participating governments, notably
10290-621: The time the Portuguese first arrived in 1483 or 1484. The kingdom's name derived from its people, the Bakongo , an endonym said to mean "hunters" ( Kongo : mukongo , nkongo ). During the period when France colonised it, it was known as the French Congo or Middle Congo . The Republic of the Congo , or simply Congo , is a distinct country from the Democratic Republic of the Congo , also known as DR Congo . Brazzaville 's name derives from
10395-658: The urban centers. Public expenditure of the GDP was less in 2002–05 than in 1991. Public education is theoretically free and mandatory for under-16-year-olds, and in practice, expenses exist. In 2005 net primary enrollment rate was 44%, a drop from 79% in 1991. La Francophonie The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie ( OIF ; sometimes shortened to the Francophonie , French : La Francophonie [la fʁɑ̃kɔfɔni] , sometimes also called International Organisation of La Francophonie in English )
10500-421: The vote was a fake one. The election raised questions and was accompanied by civil unrest and police shootings of protesters; at least 18 people were killed by security forces during opposition rallies leading up to the referendum held in October. It is divided into 12 départements (departments). Departments are divided into communes and districts. These are: Some Pygmies belong from birth to Bantus in
10605-516: The western coast of Central Africa to the west of the Congo River . It is bordered to the west by Gabon , to the northwest by Cameroon , to the northeast by the Central African Republic , to the southeast by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south by the Angolan exclave of Cabinda , and to the southwest by the Atlantic Ocean. The region was dominated by Bantu -speaking tribes at least 3,000 years ago, who built trade links leading into
10710-462: Was a Marxist–Leninist state from 1969 to 1992, under the name People's Republic of the Congo (PRC). The country has had multi-party elections since 1992, but a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 Republic of the Congo Civil War . President Denis Sassou Nguesso , who first came to power in 1979, ruled until 1992 and then again since after his reinstatement. The Republic of
10815-532: Was completed in 2011. Its population is concentrated in the southwestern portion, leaving the areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. 70% of its total population lives in urban areas, namely in Brazzaville , Pointe-Noire , or one of the cities or villages lining the 534-kilometre (332 mi), railway which connects the two cities. In rural areas, industrial and commercial activity has declined in some years, leaving rural economies dependent on
10920-749: Was excluded from the Kimberley Process in 2004 amid allegations that most of its diamond exports were, in fact, being smuggled out of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo ; it was re-admitted to the group in 2007. The Republic of the Congo has untapped base metal, gold, iron, and phosphate deposits. It is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). The Congolese government signed an agreement in 2009 to lease 200,000 hectares of land to South African farmers to reduce its dependence on imports. The GDP of
11025-531: Was suspended on 26 August 2008, pending democratic elections, after a military coup d'état . Madagascar 's membership was suspended in April 2009 due to an unconstitutional transfer of power on 17 March 2009. Mali's membership was also suspended in March 2012 due to a coup d'état , and then the Central African Republic was suspended at the 88th session of the CPF (March 2012), as well as Guinea-Bissau on 18 April 2012 for
#35964