The purpose of this report is to provide analysis and recommendations to national, regional and continental decision makers in the implementation of peace and security-related instruments. The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa and home to over 60 different ethnic and linguistic groups. The official language of the Republic of Congo is French with majority of the country’s population practicing Christianity. Congo-Brazzaville has experienced coups d’état, civil unrests and militia conflicts since achieving independence from France in 1960. The legitimacy of President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who first came to power in 1979 in the aftermath of a coup d’état and returned to power in 1997 after a brief power tussle with the then-president, Pascal Lissouba, is strongly contested on political and socio-economic fronts. His government is marred by recurrent political violence which revolves around contestation for power during and after elections. Socio-economic crisis further intensifies the ongoing political grievances throughout the country. While regional and international organizations are preoccupied by conflict dynamics in neighboring countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, internal crises in Congo Brazzaville pose a major threat to national and regional stability.
