The Republic of the Congo has set aside Monday, 23 February 2026, as a day of national mourning, a measure that draws the entire country into shared remembrance of one of its most senior officials.
A Presidential Decree Frames the Nation’s Grief
President Denis Sassou N’Guesso has signed a decree instituting the national day of mourning in honour of Minister of State Firmin Ayessa. The decision lends an official and solemn character to a loss felt across the Congolese administration, and it commits the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) to a formal act of public homage.
The Passing of a Minister of State
Firmin Ayessa, who held the rank of Minister of State, died on 17 February in Istanbul. His standing within the government places his death among the more consequential events to touch the country’s senior leadership, and the choice to mark it with a dedicated day underscores the weight attached to his office.
A Return to Brazzaville Before the Tribute
The late minister’s remains arrived in Brazzaville on 21 February, ahead of the appointed day of mourning. The repatriation, completed two days before the nation pauses to honour him, allows the tribute of 23 February to unfold on Congolese soil, closing the distance between the place of his death and the country he served.
