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Under the leadership of H.E. President Denis Sassou Nguesso – one of Africa’s longest serving leaders – the Republic of Congo is all set for an economic boom, as new oil, mining, agriculture and infrastructure projects are expected to come on-stream in the coming year

Having first come to power three decades ago, H.E. President Denis Sassou Nguesso gained his latest seven-year term after elections in July 2009. In an exclusive interview with United World, Congo-Brazzaville’s celebrated figurehead talks about the achievements of his longstanding tenure and his exciting plans for the future of the country

The republic’s First Lady, Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, established the Congo Assistance Foundation (FCA) in 1984 as a non-governmental organization promoting social action in the areas of health, development, education and vocational training aims, and has received international acclaim for its humanitarian efforts

With the U.S. and the Republic of Congo having worked together on issues such as strengthening regional security, improving the health of Congolese citizens and safeguarding the environment, the two countries’ relations are positive and cooperative.

Dwindling resources have forced exploration of deep waters and the endeavor has paid off with a number of deep offshore projects set to come on-stream, which hold the potential to significantly boost production.

For decades, the primary sector that has dominated the Congolese economy has been the oil industry, which still represents 64% of GDP. Production and manufacturing, however, has traditionally contributed to 7% of GDP. These figures reflect a misleadingly low valuation of the country’s economic potential. As such, the government, along with the support of several bilateral and multilateral partners, has become firmly committed to diversifying the economy, using industrialization as one of the main drivers of growth

The Republic of Congo’s mining industry is developing swiftly following 50 years of uncertainty; as a consequence, the country is quickly becoming a hot spot for global mining investments.

With ROC preparing to host the All-Africa Games next year, the Délégation Générale des Grands Travaux has been busy implementing large infrastructure projects and laying the foundations for the country’s future development, as opportunities also lay waiting for foreign investors in the transport, water and energy sectors

When Republic of Congo Finance Minister Gilbert Ondongo presented the draft budget for the 2014 fiscal year in October, he painted a picture of a vibrant economy in which many sectors boasted double-digit growth

Banking via post offices is seen as the ‘wave of the future’