The President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso gave an interview to France 24, on the sidelines of the summit for a new global financial pact organized in Paris to fight against poverty and global warming. He felt that Africa could not be forced to “brutally renounce” oil. Commenting on the follow-up to the investigation into suspicions of “ill-gotten gains”, he regretted the interference of France, where “everything is permitted” to “dirty the African authorities”.
France 24 conducted an interview with Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso, who had just attended the Paris summit for a new global financial pact.
Western countries are committed to finance both the fight against poverty and the fight against global warming, through financial aid for poor countries. But the Republic of Congo (DRC) has significant oil potential.
“Forcing African countries to suddenly give up oil would be excessive,” said Denis Sassou-Nguesso, stressing that some industrialized countries have decided to use coal again.
His country will host at the end of the year a summit dedicated to the preservation of the three largest forest basins on the planet, which will be attended by international leaders including Brazilian President Lula.
Three planetary “lungs”, more precious than ever in times of climate concerns. A common strategy will be adopted at the summit, guarantees the Congolese president, “but also to obtain counterparts from the rest of the world in order to ensure the development of the countries which protect this common good”.
‘No political prisoners’
“There is no no political prisoners in the Republic of Congo, assures the Congolese president about the generals Jeans–Marie-Michel Mokoko and Andrew Okombi Salissa, two former candidates for the presidential election of March 2016, sentenced to twenty years in prison.
The Congolese president would have received 17 million dollars of funds embezzled by the oil company Orion Oil, according to a detailed investigation by the daily Liberation. “The French media are used to this kind of aggression” regrets Denis Sassou-Nguessoadding that Paris allows itself to “manage all Congolese affairs via its Justice”
“Everything is permitted in France as soon as it comes to smearing the authorities of Africa”, comments the president, reacting to yet another episode of the investigation into suspicions of “ill-gotten gains”, involving entering a mansion, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, and attributed to his son and minister Denis Christel Sassou-Nguesso.
The latter is expected by many observers to be his father’s successor at the head of the country also known as Congo-Brazzaville. “I have never made statements of this kind”, comments soberly Denis Sassou-Nguesso.
The revision of the Congolese Constitution allows the president to stand for his own succession in 2026. Is this the intention of the president? “This question is not on the agenda” he replies.
Source: France 24
