Pierre Oba is a Congolese

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...

 politician. He has served in the government of Congo-Brazzaville since 1997 and is currently Minister of Mines and Geology. He is also a Général de Brigade of the National Police.

Background and early military–political career

Oba was born in Ollembé, in the Ollombo District of Plateaux Region. He is a cousin of Congolese President Denis Sassou-Nguesso. Oba became Director of Presidential Security in 1984 and was named Director-General of Public Security on September 11, 1987. In 1989, he was elected to the Central Committee of the ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT).

Along with Colonel Michel Ngakala

Michel Ngakala

Michel Ngakala is a Congolese military officer and politician. He was Commander of the Congolese People's Militia during the 1980s, and he has been the High Commissioner for the Reintegration of Former Combatants, a role that involves the implementation of peace agreements with rebels, since 2001...

, he created the "Cobras", a militia loyal to opposition leader Sassou-Nguesso, in 1993.

Political career since 1997

When Sassou-Nguesso returned to power in 1997, Oba was appointed as Minister of the Interior, Security, and Territorial Administration on November 2, 1997. He was the only member of the government who did not stand as a candidate in the May–June 2002 parliamentary election

Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2002

A parliamentary election was held in the Republic of the Congo in 2002; the first round was held on 26 May and the second round on 20 June. The Congolese Labour Party and its allies won a majority of seats in the National Assembly....

. After the election, in the government named on August 18, 2002, Oba was appointed as Minister of Security and Police. Later, in the government named on January 7, 2005, he was moved to the position of Minister of Mines, Mining Industries, and Geology.

Following the death of Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard

Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard

Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard was a Congolese politician and poet. Having previously served as Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Arts and Culture, he was Minister of Hydrocarbons in the government of Congo-Brazzaville from 1997 to 2009; he was also the founder and President of the Action...

, the Minister of State for Hydrocarbons, in July 2009, Oba additionally managed his portfolio in an interim capacity. He was retained as Minister of Mines and Geology in the government appointed on 15 September 2009, but was released from his interim responsibility for the hydrocarbons portfolio.

External links

• Profile Congo (Brazzaville) at The Economist Intelligence Unit website