Installation of Congolese Government

Installation of Congolese Government

We welcome the installation of the new government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This event marks the culmination of Congo's long transition process, and the beginning of a new era for the Congo.

We congratulate the Congolese people on their historic achievement, and we look forward to working closely with the new government. We renew our commitment to support Congolese efforts to carry forward this historic transformation through political, economic, and social development in conditions of peace and security throughout the country.

2007/134 Released on February 26, 2007, Press Statement, Sean McCormack, Spokesman, Washington, DC. February 26, 2007

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections, as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA.

He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DRC, Congolese armed rebel groups, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, and Zimbabwe but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity.

A transitional government was set up in July 2003; with Joseph KABILA as president and joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. KABILA was inaugurated president in December 2006.

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Women Business Leaders Summit in Jordan

United States Co-sponsors Women Business Leaders Summit in Jordan

The United States is co-sponsoring the Women Business Leaders Summit in Jordan, February 27-28, 2007. The Summit is a public-private sector outreach program designed to facilitate links between American, Jordanian, and the broader Middle Eastern business communities. Fifty women business executives from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates will be joined in Amman, Jordan by 50 women business leaders from the United States.

Participants in the Summit will share their experiences and exchange best practices in a variety of panel discussions. As part of this two-way exchange, the Arab businesswomen will travel to the United States in the spring to visit American partner companies and exchange views on management styles and business skills. They also will meet with senior government officials and members of Congress in Washington, DC, and attend special program sessions at Georgetown University.

The Summit is being co-chaired by: U.S. Department of State's Office for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, led by Ambassador Karen P. Hughes; The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the American Red Cross, President & CEO of Pace Communications and former U.S. Ambassador to Finland; Luma Kawar, wife of the former Jordanian Ambassador to the United States, Karim Kawar, and founder of the professional women's chapter of the International Women's Forum in Jordan.

In partnership with the Department of State, the Summit is being supported by Abercrombie & Kent, the Arab Bank, the Housing Bank for Trade & Finance, the International Women's Forum, the Marriott Corporation and Procter & Gamble.

2007/132, Released on February 26, 2007, Media Note, Office of the Spokesman, Washington, DC. February 26, 2007

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