Jeanne Dambendzet

Jeanne Dambendzet (born 1 August 1943[1]) is a Congolese politician. She served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville from 1989 to 1991 and again from 1997 to 2009. Since 2009 she has been the First Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, a state institution. She is a member of the Congolese Labour Party (PCT) and has been National Executive Secretary of the Women's Organization of Congo, the PCT's women's organization, since 2013.

Background and early political career

Dambendzet was born in Franceville, located in southeastern Gabon.[1] She is related to President Denis Sassou Nguesso (he is her mother's first cousin) and the two have known each other since they were children. She became a teacher and was an activist within the teachers' union; she was also a founder of the Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC).[2] From 1977 to 1980, she was a URFC delegate to the Women's International Democratic Federation; subsequently, she was the Women's International Democratic Federation's Permanent Representative to UNESCO from 1980[1] to 1984.[1][2]

At the PCT's Third Ordinary Congress, held on 27–31 July 1984, Dambendzet was elected to the 75-member PCT Central Committee.[3][4] She was also assigned to head the studies and research division of the PCT.[2] On 13 August 1989, she was appointed to the Congolese government as Minister of Labour and Social Security,[5] holding that post until the PCT regime ended in 1991.[1]

Political career since the early 1990s

Dambendzet remained loyal to Sassou Nguesso during the presidency of Pascal Lissouba (1992–1997) and worked actively on his behalf during the June–October 1997 civil war.[2] After the victory of Sassou Nguesso's forces, Dambendzet was again appointed to the government as Minister of the Civil Service and Administrative Reform on 2 November 1997;[6][7] her portfolio was expanded to include the advancement of women on 12 January 1999.[8] In the May 2002 parliamentary election, Dambendzet was elected to the National Assembly as the PCT candidate in Ngoko constituency, located in Cuvette Region; she received 55.43% of the vote and won the seat in the first round.[9] Following the election, she was moved to the post of Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, and the Advancement of Women on 18 August 2002;[10] she remained in that position in the government named on 7 January 2005, although her portfolio was reduced to agriculture, animal husbandry, and fisheries.[11] Her portfolio was further reduced to agriculture and animal husbandry on 3 March 2007.[12]

In the 2007 parliamentary election, Dambendzet was again elected to the National Assembly as the PCT candidate in Ngoko; she won the seat in the first round with 67.58% of the vote.[13] She was subsequently moved to the post of Minister of Trade, Consumption, and Supplies on 30 December 2007.[14]

Dambendzet distributed tables to traders and vendors at the Bourreau market in Brazzaville on 22 August 2009. She explained that one of her ministry's tasks was the modernization of markets and that the selling of goods off the ground was a public health problem. According to Dambendzet, more tables would be distributed at other markets to help the markets meet basic standards of public health.[15]

Dambendzet was dismissed from the government on 15 September 2009[16] and was then appointed by Sassou Nguesso as First Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council on 18 September 2009.[17] She met with Claudine Munari, her successor as Minister of Trade, on 24 September to discuss issues facing the ministry, especially Economic Partnership Agreements with the European Union. She also discussed internal trade issues, such as rising food prices. Munari said that she would continue to consult with Dambendzet when needed.[18]

As First Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council, Dambendzet met with Florent Ntsiba, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, on 13 November 2009 to discuss greater cooperation between the Council and the government on policies, including those related to employment, training, wages, and pensions. She said that the Council would communicate the concerns and desires of the people to relevant ministries.[19]

At the PCT's Sixth Extraordinary Congress, held in July 2011, Dambendzet was elected to the PCT's 51-member Political Bureau.[20]

In August 2013, at the constitutive congress of the Women's Organization of Congo (OFC), the PCT's newly created women's organization, Dambendzet was designated as the OFC's National Executive Secretary.[21]

During the campaign for the September 2014 local elections, Dambendzet was dispatched to Cuvette Department to campaign for the PCT's candidates there.[22]

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References
  1. "Dambendzet Jeanne", Congo Brazzaville: Les Hommes de Pouvoir, number 1, Africa Intelligence, 29 October 2002 (in French).
  2. François Soudan, "La dame de fer de Sassou", Jeune Afrique, 27 July 1999 (in French).
  3. "Third Congolese Party Congress Issues Statement", Mweti, 1 August 1984, pages 4–6.
  4. Rémy Bazenguissa-Ganga, Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique (1997), Karthala Editions, page 278 (in French).
  5. Bazenguissa-Ganga, Les voies du politique au Congo: essai de sociologie historique, page 296 (in French).
  6. Marchés tropicaux et méditerranéens, issues 2,704–2,720 (1997), page 2,429 (in French).
  7. Paul Soni-Benga, Les dessous de la guerre du Congo-Brazzaville (1998), L'Harmattan, page 275 (in French).
  8. "Le nouveau gouvernement du Congo", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 13 January 1999 (in French). "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 2013-10-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Elections législatives : les 51 élus du premier tour", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 5 June 2002 (in French).
  10. "La composition du nouveau gouvernement congolais", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 19 August 2002 (in French). "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Le président Denis Sassou Nguesso remanie le gouvernement congolais", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 8 January 2005 (in French). "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 2014-05-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  12. "Remaniement du gouvernement « Mvouba »", Gabonews, 3 March 2007 (in French).
  13. "Elections législatives : les 44 élus du premier tour", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 2 July 2007 (in French).
  14. "Formation d'un nouveau gouvernement au Congo", Panapress, 31 December 2007 (in French).
  15. Guillaume Ondzé, "Des tables pour les vendeuses et vendeurs du marché Bourreau de Makélékélé", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 22 August 2009 (in French).
  16. "Gouvernement - La nouvelle équipe compte trente-sept membres", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 16 September 2009 (in French).
  17. "Vie des institutions - Le Conseil économique et social doté d'un nouveau bureau", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 22 September 2009 (in French).
  18. Nancy France Loutoumba, "La nouvelle ministre du Commerce consciente de la charge du département qui lui a été confié", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 24 September 2009 (in French).
  19. Nancy France Loutoumba, "Le Conseil économique et social s'engage à une coopération mutuelle avec les membres du gouvernement", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 13 November 2009 (in French).
  20. Joël Nsoni, "Denis Sassou Nguesso aux congressistes du P.c.t : «Les élections ne se gagnent pas dans les bureaux. Elles se gagnent sur le terrain»", La Semaine Africaine, 30 July 2011 (in French).
  21. Roger Ngombé, "Vie des partis : Jeanne Dambendzet secrétaire exécutive nationale de l’Organisation des femmes du Congo", ADIAC, 11 August 2013 (in French).
  22. Pascal Azad Doko, "Elections locales : Véritable marathon de Pierre Ngolo, pour soutenir les candidats du P.c.t", La Semaine Africaine, 23 September 2014 (in French).
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