BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo — Denis Sassou N’Guesso officially began another five-year presidential term Thursday during an inauguration ceremony held at a crowded stadium in the Central African nation.
The swearing-in event occurred in Kintélé, located north of Brazzaville, the country’s capital.
The president secured reelection in March after capturing 94.8% of votes cast, continuing his four-decade leadership of the petroleum-wealthy nation. His competition included six lesser-known challengers.
During his inauguration address, Sassou N’Guesso pledged he would not “betray the people who mobilized to honor him and reaffirm their support.”
The nation faces significant economic challenges, including an extremely high debt-to-GDP ratio — a measurement comparing national debt to total economic production — along with rising unemployment among young people, according to World Bank data.
Among African leaders, Sassou N’Guesso holds the third-longest tenure in power, trailing only Paul Biya of Cameroon and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea. Constitutional changes approved through a 2015 referendum eliminated both age restrictions and term limits for the presidency, enabling Sassou N’Guesso to continue seeking office.
