Republic of the Congo–United States relations

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Republic of the Congo – United States relations
Map indicating locations of Republic of the Congo and USA


United States

Republic of the Congo–United States relations are the international relations between the Republic of the Congo and the United States.

The Republic of the Congo was recognized by the United States on the day of its independence, 15 August 1960. Diplomatic relations between the United States and Congo were broken during the most radical Congolese-Marxist period, 1965-77. The U.S. Embassy reopened in 1977 with the restoration of relations, which remained distant until the end of the socialist era. The late 1980s were marked by a progressive warming of Congolese relations with Western countries, including the United States. Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso made a state visit to Washington in 1990, where he was received by President George H.W. Bush.


Emmanuel Damongo-Dadet meeting with President John F. Kennedy, 1961

Charles David Ganao served as the first Congolese Ambassador to the United States during the early 1960s.[1][dubious ]


Then-presidential candidate Pascal Lissouba travelled to Washington in 1992, meeting with officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Herman J. Cohen. After his election in August 1992, President Lissouba expressed interest in expanding U.S.-Congo links, seeking increased U.S. development aid, university exchanges, and greater U.S. investment in Congo. With the outbreak of the 1996 war, the U.S. Embassy was evacuated. The Embassy was closed, and its personnel became resident in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In 2001 Embassy-suspended operations were lifted, and Embassy personnel were allowed to travel to Brazzaville for periods of extended temporary duty from the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. As a result, U.S.-Congo bilateral relations were reinvigorated. In 2003 and 2004 this practice continued, and a site for construction of a new Embassy was acquired in July 2004. Diplomatic activities, operations, and programs were carried out in a temporary bank location until January 2009, when a new, fully functioning Embassy was opened. Relations between the United States and the government of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso are positive and cooperative.

Diplomatic missions[edit]

U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville, 1979

The U.S. Embassy accredited to Congo is in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.


  1. ^ "Congo: décès de Charles Ganao, ancien Premier ministre de Lissouba". 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-15. 

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Department of State website (Background Notes).[1]

External links[edit]