Basile Ikouébé is a Congolese diplomat who has served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville

Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...

 as Minister of Foreign Affairs and La Francophonie

Foreign minister

A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...

 since 2007. Previously, Ikouébé was Congo-Brazzaville's Permanent Representative to the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 from 1998 to 2007. He is a member of the governing Congolese Labour Party.

Diplomatic career

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ikouébé became head of its International Organizations Division in 1974. He was then Principal Private Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1975 to 1977 and Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1979. Ikouébé was Diplomatic Advisor to President Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso

Denis Sassou Nguesso is a Congolese politician who has been the President of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997; he was previously President from 1979 to 1992. During his first period as President, he headed the single-party regime of the Congolese Labour Party for 12 years...

 from 1982 to 1992; in addition to that post, he served as Assistant Permanent Secretary to the Presidency beginning in 1987, while holding the rank of minister. From 1994 to 1995, he was Ambassador-at-large; subsequently he was again Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996 to 1998.

Following his appointment as Permanent Representative to the UN, Ikouébé presented his credentials to the UN Secretary-General on 11 December 1998. As Permanent Representative, he served as President of the United Nations Security Council

United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...

 in May 2006.

Ikouébé was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and La Francophonie on 31 May 2007, replacing Rodolphe Adada

Rodolphe Adada

Rodolphe Adada is a Congolese politician and diplomat. During the single-party rule of the Congolese Labour Party , he served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville as Minister of Mines and Energy from 1977 to 1984, as Minister of Mines and Oil from 1984 to 1989, and as Minister of Secondary and...

. During the campaign for the July 2009 presidential election

Republic of the Congo presidential election, 2009

A presidential election was held in the Republic of the Congo on 12 July 2009. Long-time President Denis Sassou Nguesso won another seven-year term with a large majority of the vote, but the election was marked by accusations of irregularities and fraud from the opposition; six opposition...

, Ikouébé worked on President Sassou Nguesso's re-election campaign as his Spokesman for Diplomatic Affairs.

See also

• Foreign relations of the Republic of the Congo
  Foreign relations of the Republic of the Congo
  For the two decades preceding the Republic of the Congo's 1991 National Conference, the country was firmly in the socialist camp, allied principally with the Soviet Union and other Eastern bloc nations...