Legislative branch: bicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale): election last held 3
October 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3
Senate: election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held NA July
1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (60 total)
UPADS 23, MCDDI 14, RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders: of Congo's many political parties, the most important are Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president; Association for Democracy and Development (RDD), Joachim Yhombi OPANGO, president; Association for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA, president; Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI), Bernard KOLELAS, leader; Pan-African Union for Social Development (UPADS), Pascal LISSOUBA, leader; Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), David Charles GANAO, leader; Union for Democratic Renewal (URD); Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS), Jean-Michael BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA, leader
Other political or pressure groups: Union of Congolese Socialist
Youth (UJSC); Congolese Trade Union Congress (CSC); Revolutionary
Union of Congolese Women (URFC); General Union of Congolese Pupils
and Students (UGEEC)
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC,
CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, UDEAC,
UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Daniel
MOUELLET
chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-0825
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William C. RAMSEY
embassy: Avenue Amilcar Cabral, Brazzaville
mailing address: B. P. 1015, Brazzaville
telephone: [242] 83 20 70
FAX: [242] 83 63 38
Flag: divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy ———-
Economic overview: Congo's economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing about 90% of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil revenues enabled Congo to finance large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. Subsequently, falling oil prices cut GDP growth by half. Moreover, the Congolese Government has mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to the government's shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994. Recent efforts to implement economic reforms have begun to show progress; the IMF has recommended approval of an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility agreement in 1996.