Antoine Ghonda facts for kids

Antoine Ghonda Mangalibi (born February 19, 1965) is an important political figure from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He served as the country's foreign minister from June 2003 to July 2004.

Early Life and Education

Antoine Ghonda was born in Leuven, Belgium. He grew up in the Bas Congo province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At that time, the country was known as Zaire.

He later moved to the United States for his university studies. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in International Relations. He received this degree from Florida International University.

Business Career

After finishing his studies, Ghonda worked in his family's businesses. This was from 1992 to 2000. During these years, he became very successful in international trade. He bought and sold goods between different countries.

Even though he was busy with business, he became very interested in politics. However, he did not join any political groups right away. This was true during the last years of President Mobutu Sese Seko's rule. It was also true during the early time of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila.

Joining Politics

In 2000, Antoine Ghonda decided to get deeply involved in politics. He joined a group called the Congolese Liberation Movement. This group was led by Jean-Pierre Bemba. It was a rebel group at the time.

In 2003, the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo made peace. They reached an agreement with the national government. The government was led by Joseph Kabila. They formed a special government to help the country transition.

This new government had four vice-presidents. Two of these vice-presidents were leaders of major rebel groups. Jean-Pierre Bemba became one of the vice-presidents. He was given the power to choose the foreign minister. That is how Antoine Ghonda was chosen for the important role.

Foreign Minister Role

Antoine Ghonda became the foreign minister on June 30, 2003. He held this position until July 23, 2004. As foreign minister, he represented his country to other nations.

In July 2004, Jean-Pierre Bemba asked for Ghonda to be removed. President Kabila had to agree to this request. Newspapers in Kinshasa, the capital city, talked a lot about why this happened. There were many ideas, but no single clear reason.

Some people thought it was because Ghonda criticized troops from Rwanda and Uganda. These troops were operating in Congo. Others believed it was because Ghonda was good friends with President Joseph Kabila. Another idea was that George W. Bush, the US President, mentioned Ghonda as a key leader for the new Congo. Bemba was not mentioned, which might have upset him.

Later Political Career

Even after losing Bemba's trust, Ghonda became more important to President Kabila. In March 2005, the government changed some of its roles. Ghonda was named one of two "roving ambassadors." This meant he traveled for the President to represent the country.

In the 2006 elections, Ghonda was elected to the National Assembly. This is like the country's parliament. He represented a district in Bas-Congo province. The main town in his district is Kisantu.

Today, the Foundation Antoine Ghonda is active in Kisantu. This foundation helps with social and economic development in the area. It works to improve the lives of people there.