Denis Sassou N’Guesso was sworn in on Thursday for another five-year term as president of the Republic of Congo, extending his 42-year rule over the oil-rich Central African nation. The inauguration ceremony took place in a packed stadium in Kintélé, a town north of the capital Brazzaville.
Sassou N’Guesso was re-elected in March with 94.8% of the vote, running against six relatively unknown candidates. In his inaugural speech, he said he would not 'betray the people who mobilised to honour him and reaffirm their support'.
The country faces significant challenges, including a high debt-to-GDP ratio and rising youth unemployment, according to the World Bank. Sassou N’Guesso is the third-longest ruling African leader, after Cameroon’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
A 2015 referendum removed presidential age limits and term limits, allowing Sassou N’Guesso to remain eligible for office.
