Pierre Passi

Pierre Passi is a Congolese politician and diplomat. He was Congo-Brazzaville's Ambassador to China from 1999 to 2007, and he was a Deputy in the National Assembly of Congo-Brazzaville from 2007 to 2012. He has been Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of Congo-Brazzaville since 2012.

Diplomatic and political career

When Denis Sassou Nguesso returned to power at the conclusion of the June–October 1997 civil war, he appointed Passi, a northerner, as Minister of Fish and Fishery Resources on 2 November 1997.[1][2]

Subsequently, Passi was appointed as Ambassador to China; he arrived in Beijing on 15 July 1999 and presented his credentials to Chinese President Jiang Zemin on 21 July 1999.[3] He was additionally accredited as Ambassador to North Korea, presenting his credentials to de facto head of state Kim Yong Nam in Pyongyang on 16 December 1999,[4] as Ambassador to Vietnam,[5] and as Ambassador to Thailand; he presented his credentials to the King of Thailand on 16 November 2000.[6] He was accredited as Ambassador to Cambodia as well.[7] Later, Passi was also assigned responsibility for relations with India, presenting his credentials to Indian President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on 20 January 2003.[8]

When President Sassou Nguesso was elected as Chairman of the African Union, Passi said in March 2006 that Sassou Nguesso would ensure the continuation of good relations and cooperation between Africa and China. He noted that Congo-Brazzaville in particular had a long and warm relationship with China and that trade and economic cooperation between the two countries was strong. In addition, Passi stressed Congo-Brazzaville's support for the one-China policy.[9]

In the June 2007 parliamentary election, Passi stood as the candidate of the Congolese Labor Party (PCT) in the Mayéyé constituency of Lékoumou Department. He placed first in the first round, receiving 36.47% of the vote against 26.54% for Simon Mfoutou.[10] Because no candidate received a majority in the first round, a second round was held in August 2007, but Passi faced no opposition on that occasion and won the seat with 100% of the vote.[11]

After the National Assembly began meeting for its new parliamentary term, Passi was designated as President of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Commission on 18 September 2007.[12] He left his diplomatic post in China to sit in the National Assembly.[13]

In 2011, Passi was included on the five-member Preparatory Committee for the PCT's Sixth Extraordinary Congress as Second Rapporteur.[14][15] At the Sixth Extraordinary Congress, held in July 2011, Passi was elected to the PCT's 51-member Political Bureau.[16]

Passi was not re-elected to his seat in the National Assembly in the July–August 2012 parliamentary election. Simon Mfoutou, who had been defeated by Passi in the 2007 election, won the seat for Mayéyé as the candidate of the opposition Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS).[17] Passi was subsequently appointed as Vice-President of the Constitutional Court on 17 September 2012; he was sworn in a month later, on 18 October.[18]

References
  1. Marchés tropicaux et méditerranéens, issues 2,704–2,720 (1997), page 2,429 (in French).
  2. Paul Soni-Benga, Les dessous de la guerre du Congo-Brazzaville (1998), L'Harmattan, page 275 (in French).
  3. "Chinese president accepts credentials from new ambassador to China", Xinhua, 21 July 1999.
  4. "Credentials to Kim Yong Nam" Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine, Korean Central News Agency, 16 December 1999.
  5. "President receives new ambassadors from eight countries", Voice of Vietnam, 14 August 2000.
  6. Text of speech by Passi upon presentation of credentials Archived 2011-10-07 at the Wayback Machine, Thai government website.
  7. "Senior Minister Hor Namhong Meets with Congo Ambassador" Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, 2001.
  8. "Envoys present credentials to President", Press Information Bureau, 20 January 2003.
  9. "Congo Ambassador: New AU president will continue to promote China-Africa relations", Xinhua, 6 March 2006.
  10. Ya Sanza, "Législatives : La liste des duels du second tour", Congopage website, 3 July 2007 (in French).
  11. "Les résultats des élections législatives, avant l'examen des contentieux électoraux", La Semaine Africaine, number 2,720, 21 August 2007, page 7 (in French).
  12. Cyr Armel Yabbat-Ngo, "Rentrée parlementaire de la 12ème législature: Les bureaux des commissions permanentes ont été enfin élus", La Semaine Africaine, number 2,729, 21 September 2007, page 5 (in French).
  13. "Petite valse d'excellences", La Lettre du Continent, number 544, Africa Intelligence, 3 July 2008 (in French).
  14. Roger Ngombé, "Les députés du PCT à l'Assemblée nationale favorables à la tenue du 6e congrès extraordinaire" Archived 2012-06-10 at the Wayback Machine, Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 15 April 2011 (in French).
  15. Pascal-Azad Doko, "6ème congrès extraordinaire du P.c.t : Jean-Pierre Nonault à la tête de bureau de la coordination du comité préparatoire", La Semaine Africaine, 13 April 2011 (in French).
  16. 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»" Archived 2011-10-05 at the Wayback Machine, La Semaine Africaine, 30 July 2011 (in French).
  17. "Élections législatives: PCT 89 sièges, Indépendants 12, Upads 7, MCDDI 7, autres partis 20", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, number 1,552, 9 August 2012, page 3 (in French).
  18. "Cour constitutionnelle: Pierre Passi prête serment", Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, number 1,601, 19 October 2012, page 2 (in French).
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