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Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja

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Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja (born 3 February 1944) is a Congolese academic, author, and diplomat. He is a professor of African and Afro-American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he specialises in African and global studies. He was also the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations from 2022 until 2023.

His Excellency
Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja
FAAS
Nzongola-Ntalaja in 1967
6th DRC Ambassador to the United Nations
In office
13 January 2022 – 9 January 2023
Preceded byIgnace Gata Mavita wa Lufuta
Succeeded byZenon Mukongo Ngay
Personal details
Born (1944-02-03) 3 February 1944 (age 80)
Kasha, South Kivu, Belgian Congo
Education
AwardsBest Book Award from the African Politics Conference Group (2004)
Scientific career
Fields
Institutions

Biography

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Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja was born on 3 February 1944[1] in Kasha, South Kivu in the Belgian Congo.[2] Nzongola-Ntalaja grew up at an American Presbyterian Congo Mission (APCM) station in Kasha, near the state post of Luputa.[3] Nzongola-Ntalaja's involvement in activism began during his teenage years when he participated in protests that demanded Congolese independence from Belgium.[4]

During the 1960s civil rights movement in the United States, there were calls for Davidson College to admit Black students, and Nzongola-Ntalaja was an exchange student in Minnesota at the time with plans to attend Macalester College. However, Davidson College's president, Grier Martin, contacted his host family and offered him a full scholarship. This made Nzongola-Ntalaja the second Black student to attend Davidson during its early attempts to promote diversity. He quickly became involved in American activism, participating in civil rights movement in the United States, pushing for the college to end discrimination against Black employees, and advocating for a more comprehensive curriculum.[5]

Nzongola-Ntalaja graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 1967, before completing a Master of Arts in diplomacy and international commerce in 1968 from the University of Kentucky.[2] He later defended his Doctor of Philosophy in political science in 1975 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[2]

Academic career

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Nzongola-Ntalaja had teaching appointments in the University of Kisangani, Congo-Kinshasa from 1970 to 1971, the University of Lubumbashi from 1971 to 1975, Clark-Atlanta University between 1975 and 1977, and the University of Maiduguri in Nigeria between 1977 and 1978.[6][2] He became a professor of African studies at Howard University between 1978 and 1997, and the James K. Batten Professor of Public Policy at Davidson College, North Carolina, between 1998 and 1999. He was also a visiting professor at El Colegio de Mexico in the summer of 1987.[6][7] Nzongola-Ntalaja has been a professor in the Department of African-American and Diaspora Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 2007.[8][9][10]

Nzongola-Ntalaja served as President of the African Studies Association (ASA) of the United States in 1988,[11] as a member of the Executive Committee of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) from 1994 to 1997, and as President of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS) from 1995 to 1997.[6] He was elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 1988.[7]

Nzongola-Ntalaja has extensive research on African politics,[12][13][14][5] development, and conflict issues,[15] and has authored several books and numerous articles on these topics.[8] One of his most notable works is The Congo from Leopold to Kabila: A People's History,[16] which provides a comprehensive history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the colonial period to the present day.[17][18] The book won the 2004 Best Book Award from the African Politics Conference Group,[19][20] and was featured on The Guardian's Top 10 books on neocolonialism.[21] He has also written extensively about abuses under the Congo Free State,[22][20] which he refers to as "the Congo holocaust",[23] and given a TED-Ed talk on the topic.[24]

Political career

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Nzongola-Ntalaja's open opposition to the dictator Mobutu Sese Seko and his regime in Zaire made him a target of intimidation and even death threats. He was subjected to lengthy interrogations by the Security Police.[25] In response, he chose to return to the US and live in voluntary exile for a period of 17 years.[5][25]

Nzongola-Ntalaja have been a member of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Congolese People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) since 1991.[5] He has also been a vocal critic of authoritarianism and corruption in the country, and has called for greater democracy and human rights protections in the Congo.[17][18]

Nzongola-Ntalaja has been involved in politics and contributed to his country's shift away from Mobutu's authoritarian rule. In 1992, he participated as a representative in the Sovereign National Conference of Congo/Zaire,[25] followed by serving as a Diplomatic Advisor to the Transitional Government led by Prime Minister Étienne Tshisekedi. Additionally, in 1996, he was appointed as the Deputy President of the National Electoral Commission of the DRC, where he served as the primary representative of the opposition on the commission.[6] Nzongola-Ntalaja has also worked for the United Nations. He was the Director of the Oslo Governance Center from 2002 to 2005.[26] In 2005, he led a team of experts tasked with developing a peace and security framework for the Great Lakes Region.[27]

Nzongola-Ntalaja was the Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations, having presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 13 January 2022.[27][28] In June 2022, Nzongola-Ntalaja asked the Security Council to demand an unconditional withdrawal of the M23 from Bunagana and parts of Rutshuru territory in eastern Congo during the United Nations Security Council meeting.[29][30] The M23 is a rebel group that was defeated by the Congolese Armed Forces and the United Nations in 2013, but reemerged in November 2021.[31] Congolese officials blame neighbouring Rwanda for supporting the M23, while Rwanda denies any links to the group.[32][33] However, he dismissed Rwandan concerns about the existence of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda in DRC.[34] On 26 October 2022, Nzongola-Ntalaja accused Rwanda of occupying the DRC between 1998 and 2003 and committing atrocities, including plundering the Congolese economy and stealing chimpanzees and other animals.[35][36][37] On 9 January 2023, Nzongola-Ntalaja was replaced by Zenon Mukongo Ngay.[38]

Books

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Scholia has a profile for Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja (Q72006112).

References

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  1. ^ "Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja". The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja - SourceWatch". sourcewatch.org. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  3. ^ ROAPE (20 April 2021). "A People's Historian: an interview with Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja - ROAPE". Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  4. ^ Shapiro, Ari; Valentine, Ashish; Mehta, Jonaki (20 June 2022). "Belgium returns remains of slain Congolese leader". NPR. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d Davidson College; USA894-2000, North Carolina 28035. "Activist, Academic, Ambassador: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja '67 Named to UN Post". Davidson College. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ a b c d Bloomsbury.Domain.Store.Site. "Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja: Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)". www.bloomsbury.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Nzongola-Ntalaja Georges | The AAS". www.aasciences.africa. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja | Department of African, African American, and Diaspora Studies". 4 February 2014. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  9. ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey (2 December 2011). "Firebrand Attracts Votes in Congo, Dismaying West". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ^ Davidson, Davidson CollegeThe Davidson College wordmark; USA894-2000, North Carolina 28035. "Activist, Academic, Ambassador: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja '67 Named to UN Post". Davidson. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "Past Presidents of the ASA". African Studies Association Portal - ASA - ASA. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges (1994). "Violation of Democratic Rights in Zaire". African Issues. 22 (2): 9–11. doi:10.2307/1166725. ISSN 0047-1607. JSTOR 1166725. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  13. ^ Science, African Association of Political (1998). The State and Democracy in Africa. Africa World Press. ISBN 978-0-86543-638-1. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ^ Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges (2004). "Citizenship, Political Violence, and Democratization in Africa". Global Governance. 10 (4): 403–409. doi:10.1163/19426720-01004002. ISSN 1075-2846. JSTOR 27800538. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ^ Maclean, Ruth; Dahir, Abdi Latif (1 July 2022). "Why Is There So Much Turmoil in Eastern Congo?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. ^ Roberts, Sam (12 February 2015). "Christophe Gbenye, Radical Nationalist in Congo, Dies at 88". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 3 September 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja | The Guardian". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  18. ^ a b Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges (17 January 2011). "Patrice Lumumba: the most important assassination of the 20th century". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  19. ^ Dunn, Kevin C. (2002). "Review of The Congo from Leopold to Kabila: A People's History". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 35 (2/3): 577–579. doi:10.2307/3097681. ISSN 0361-7882. JSTOR 3097681. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Reversing a Bloody Legacy". www.wilsonquarterly.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  21. ^ Williams, Susan (28 October 2021). "Top 10 books on neocolonialism". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  22. ^ Koyi, Ikaba. "Q&A: At 60, DRC still plagued by colonial mentality". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  23. ^ Maclean, Ruth; Peltier, Elian (8 June 2022). "Belgian King Returns Mask to Congo in Landmark Visit". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  24. ^ "History's deadliest king - Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja". TED-Ed. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  25. ^ a b c ROAPE (20 April 2021). "A People's Historian: an interview with Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja - ROAPE". Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  26. ^ "Reversing a Bloody Legacy". www.wilsonquarterly.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  27. ^ a b "New Permanent Representative of Democratic Republic of Congo Presents Credentials | UN Press". press.un.org. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  28. ^ "New Permanent Representative of Democratic Republic of Congo Presents Credentials | UN Press". press.un.org. 13 January 2022. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  29. ^ Besheer, Margaret (30 June 2022). "Congo-Kinshasa: UN - Well-Armed M23 Rebels Resurgent in DRC". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  30. ^ "UN Security Council demands disarmament of DR Congo militias – DW – 03/30/2023". dw.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  31. ^ "UN: Well-Armed M23 Rebels Resurgent in DRC". VOA. 29 June 2022. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  32. ^ "UN: Well-Armed M23 Rebels Resurgent in DRC". Irish Sun. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  33. ^ "DRC muri UN: 'Ntidushobora kuganira na M23 kuko n'u Rwanda ntirwigeze ruganira na FDLR'". BBC News Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda). 20 April 2023. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  34. ^ Musoni, Edwin (29 March 2023). "US calls out DR Congo for collaborating with FDLR genocidal militia". The New Times. Archived from the original on 18 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  35. ^ Staff Writer (13 October 2022). "DRC's Permanent Representative to UN Accuses Rwanda Of Stealing Gorillas". Taarifa Rwanda. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  36. ^ "A UN Debate About Ukraine Somehow Became an Argument About Stolen Gorillas". www.vice.com. 14 October 2022. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  37. ^ Musoni, Edwin (14 October 2022). "Solutions to DR Congo problems cannot be outsourced - Rwandan diplomat at UN". The New Times. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  38. ^ "United Nations Photo - 9-1-23_ED_21256.tif". dam.media.un.org. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
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Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United Nations
2022–2023 		Succeeded by
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