Congo Raises Its Voice at South Atlantic Forum
Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Claude Gakosso traveled to Rio de Janeiro in early April to represent the Republic of Congo at the ministerial meeting of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic, known as Zopacas.
The gathering, held on April 8 and 9 at the Brazilian capital, brought together foreign ministers from all 24 member states of the organization, a bloc that spans the Atlantic coasts of Africa and South America.
A Declaration Forged in Cooperation
Delegates at the Rio meeting adopted three significant documents: the Declaration of Rio, a joint Strategy document, and a Convention dedicated to the protection of the marine environment of the South Atlantic.
These instruments signal a renewed institutional commitment by member states to manage the region’s vast maritime space through multilateral frameworks rather than unilateral action.
Gakosso Calls for a Stronger Bloc
Speaking before the gathered ministers, Gakosso underscored the urgency of tighter coordination among the organization’s member countries. “Our community must strengthen its unity in order to make its voice heard,” he said, framing the appeal against what he described as a deeply troubled international context.
The minister did not shy away from blunt language when characterizing the global moment. He declared that “the law of force supplants the force of law,” a pointed criticism of the erosion of multilateral norms and the growing tendency of powerful actors to impose outcomes through coercion rather than diplomacy.
Congo’s Commitment to the South Atlantic
Gakosso took the opportunity to articulate what Zopacas means to Brazzaville beyond institutional membership. He presented the organization as a framework of dialogue and solidarity built on shared histories of resistance among its member nations.
He reaffirmed Congo’s commitment, under President Denis Sassou N’Guesso’s leadership, to advancing international cooperation and sustainable development within the zone.
Forty Years of Guarding the Atlantic
Zopacas was established in 1986 on Brazil’s initiative, bringing together 21 African nations and three South American countries — Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay — in a common effort to keep the South Atlantic free from armed conflict and nuclear weapons.
The organization’s founding mandate also includes the protection of natural resources within its geographic scope, a mission that the newly adopted marine environment convention reinforces.
Brazzaville’s Broader Diplomatic Footprint
Congo’s participation in the Rio ministerial reflects a sustained effort by Brazzaville to remain an active voice in multilateral forums that address security and environmental governance in the Atlantic basin.
For a country whose western coastline opens onto the South Atlantic, Zopacas represents a strategic venue for shaping rules that govern an ocean increasingly central to global trade routes and energy corridors.
The gathering in Rio offered Congo a platform to pair its regional profile with a principled stance on international law, a combination that Gakosso appeared determined to deploy to full effect.