Claudine Munari

**Claudine Munari Mabondzo** (born 1954) be a Congolese politician. She be Director of de Cabinet of President Pascal Lissouba from 1992 to 1997. Although Munari flee into exile when Lissouba be ousted, she later returned to politics insyd Congo-Brazzaville; she be a Deputy insyd de National Assembly from 2002 to 2009 den sana be de Second Secretary of de National Assembly from 2007 to 2009. From 2009 to 2015, she serve insyd de government as Minister of Trade.

## Background den early career
Dem born Munari insyd Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville ein second city den main port. She dey obtain a degree insyd econometrics den work at Citroën, an automobile manufacturer insyd France, from 1976 to 1981. Subsequently she return to Congo den be de Administrative den Financial Director of CIATA, a French consultancy firm, from 1982 to 1991.

## 1990s political career, exile, den 2001 corruption trial
Munari dey meet Pascal Lissouba at de 1991 Sovereign National Conference, den soon afterward Lissouba appointed ein to a leading position insyd ein newly created political party, de Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), as Assistant for Finance den Material. After Lissouba dey win de August 1992 presidential election, he dey appoint her as Director of de Cabinet of de President. Insyd dat post, Munari hold de rank of Minister. She additionally become de Mayor of Mouyondzi insyd 1996.

An advocate for women, Munari dey promote de cause of increasing women ein participation insyd de decision-making of society, den she founded de *Femme 2000* association, a non-governmental organization working for improvement of de socioeconomic status of women, on 24 March 1993.

Munari dey remain insyd her post as Director of de President ein Cabinet for five years. When Lissouba be ousted at de end of de June–October 1997 civil war, Munari—like Lissouba—go into exile, living insyd France. She be included insyd de Patriotic Front for Dialogue den National Reconciliation (FPDRN), a moderate exile group created insyd France insyd October 2000; de group favored peace den reconciliation, choosing not to challenge de legitimacy of President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who had toppled Lissouba. Munari return to Congo-Brazzaville as part of a FPDRN delegation to participate insyd de March–April 2001 inclusive national dialogue.

Munari dey testify at de trial of Lissouba den some of ein ministers *insyd absentia* insyd December 2001. At de trial, e be said dat de 150 million dollars paid by Occidental Petroleum as part of an allegedly corrupt 1993 oil deal plus Lissouba ein government be paid into Munari ein personal bank account. According to Munari, de money be used to cover costs associated plus de 1993 parliamentary election den to pay salary arrears to civil servants. Munari einself  sana initially faced charges during de trial, but they be dismissed on 27 December 2001 on de grounds dat she had merely followed Lissouba ein orders.

## Political career since 2002
Insyd de May–June 2002 parliamentary election, she be elected to de National Assembly as an independent candidate insyd Mouyondzi constituency, located insyd Bouenza Region; she dey win de seat insyd de first round plus 72.55% of de vote. She sana become Vice-President of de Congo-France Friendship Group.

Insyd de June–August 2007 parliamentary election, Munari be re-elected to de National Assembly from Mouyondzi constituency as an independent candidate. She dey receive 30.80% insyd de first round den then prevailed insyd de second round. Following dat election, Munari—who have joined de presidential majority—be elected as Second Secretary of de National Assembly on 4 September 2007; wey receive 121 votes from de 129 deputies who be present.

Insyd de National Assembly, Munari focused on cooperation plus de Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) den de Network of Female Parliamentarians of Africa. Munari sana founded a political party, de Movement for Unity, Solidarity, den Work (MUST), den serves as ein President.

Munari dey support Sassou Nguesso ein candidacy insyd de July 2009 presidential election. When de National Initiative for Peace (INP)—an organization design to support Sassou Nguesso ein re-election bid while emphasizing de importance of peace—be launched on 28 February 2009, Munari be included on de INP ein 91-member National Coordination.

#### Minister of Trade
Munari be appointed to de government as Minister of Trade den Supplies by President Sassou Nguesso on 15 September 2009. She dey meet plus Jeanne Dambendzet, ein predecessor as Minister of Trade, on 24 September to discuss issues facing de ministry, wey include Economic Partnership Agreements plus de European Union den internal trade issues, such as rising food prices. Munari say dat she would continue to consult plus Dambendzet when needed.

Having been appointed to de government, e be necessary for Munari to leave de National Assembly. On 22 December 2009, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou officially dey succeed her as Second Secretary of de National Assembly. On dat occasion, Munari dey stress to Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou de importance of continuing to work plus de IPU den de Network of Female Parliamentarians of Africa. She joke dat she be "not asking [him] to wear a skirt" but dey express confidence dat de network will listen to him.

Insyd de July–August 2012 parliamentary election, she be re-elected to de National Assembly as a candidate insyd Mouyondzi constituency. She win de seat insyd de second round of voting, wey receive 60.02% of de vote.

Munari come out insyd opposition to changing de constitution to allow Sassou Nguesso to run for anoda term den dey participate insyd an opposition dialogue, which be held to express objections to constitutional change, insyd July 2015. Apparently as a consequence, she be dismissed from de government on 10 August 2015.

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