Calling Congo stable is just dressing up a rigged system — opposition parties get suspended, candidates get abducted, and courts routinely rubber-stamp whatever the ruling family wants. Real per capita income has droppedfallen about 28 percent since 2015, while oil billions vanishkeep disappearing into officials'’ accounts. This isn'’t governance,; it'’s a dynasty protecting itself atwhile nearly half the expensepopulation ofremains trapped in poverty under a populationsystem wheredesigned nearlyto halfkeep livepower in povertythe same hands.

Denis Sassou Nguesso’s renewed election victory offers a chance to deepen cooperation with Donald Trump’s Africa policy linking peace with economic development. The Congolese president praised Trump’s focus on stability, energy investment and infrastructure, arguing that growth and security must advance together. This approach treats African states as economic partners and prioritizes investment over Western political pressure.