President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso delivers an inaugural address during his inauguration ceremony at Kintele Stadium in the northern suburbs of Brazzaville, the Republic of the Congo, April 16, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

BRAZZAVILLE, April 16 (Xinhua) -- President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, re-elected in the March 15 presidential election, was sworn in on Thursday for a new five-year term.

The ceremony took place at Kintele Stadium in the northern suburbs of Brazzaville, the capital city, in the presence of several African heads of state.

In his inaugural address, Sassou Nguesso pledged to implement his development programme, titled "Accelerating the March Toward Development," with a focus on economic diversification and modernization, agricultural mechanization, infrastructure development, education, youth training, and improvements to the health system.

He said peace, stability and infrastructure development would be the priorities of his new mandate.

The president also called on Congolese citizens to promote Pan-Africanism and strengthen regional integration, while reaffirming his support for initiatives aimed at advancing Africa's economic development.