On 11 June 2025, Congolese Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso was received at the Palais de la République in Dakar, Senegal, by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He conveyed a message from Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and asked for Senegal’s support for the Congolese candidacy for the post of Director-General of UNESCO. The visit also provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation in several key sectors.
Congolese Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso was received at the Palais de la République in Dakar on 11 June 2025 as part of a five-day working visit. An official audience with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, during which Anatole Collinet Makosso conveyed to the Senegalese head of state a message from his Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso, stressing the solidity of relations between the two countries.
We have a message for him from his counterpart, His Excellency Denis Sassou Nguesso, who has asked us to convey his attachment to the age-old relations of friendship, solidarity, fraternity and cooperation that exist between the two countries and between the two peoples.
Anatole Collinet Makosso, Prime Minister
One of the major issues discussed during the audience was the Congolese candidacy for the post of Director-General of UNESCO. Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso spoke in favour of Firmin Edouard Matoko, a seasoned diplomat and former senior official of the organisation with some thirty years’ experience. The head of the Congolese government hopes in particular to mobilise the countries of West Africa around this candidacy.
Congo has a candidate with great potential, who has a certain experience in the life of this international organisation. We believe that Senegal can support us in the advocacy work we are carrying out, so that we can benefit from the support and voices of all African countries, particularly those in West Africa. We also hope to take advantage of President Diomaye Faye’s address book and network of contacts to ensure that this advocacy is carried out in the interests of our compatriot’s candidacy.
Anatole Collinet Makosso, Prime Minister
In addition to UNESCO, the meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral cooperation, with joint projects in energy, agriculture, vocational training and infrastructure. The Republic of Congo welcomes this dynamic South-South cooperation, which it sees as a lever for the continent’s stability and development.
