to the U.S. shortly after the Congo's independence, June 1961 The U.S. recognized Congo's independence in 1960 and Congo's first president,
Fulbert Youlou, was invited to the U.S. on an official state visit in 1961.
Emmanuel Damongo-Dadet served as the first Congolese Ambassador to the United States during the early 1960s.Relations soured following the coup of August 15, 1963 that brought
Alphonse Massamba-Débat's Soviet backed regime to power. With the advent of
democracy in 1991, Congo's relations with the United States improved and were cooperative. The United States has supported Congolese democratization efforts, contributing aid to the country's electoral process. The Congolese Government demonstrated an active interest in deepening and broadening its relations with the United States. Transition Prime Minister
Andre Milongo made an official visit to Washington in 1992, where President Bush received him at the White House. , First Lady
Michelle Obama and Congolese President
Sassou Nguesso at the
White House in 2014] Then-presidential candidate
Pascal Lissouba travelled to Washington in 1992, meeting with officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
Herman J. Cohen. After his election in August 1992, President Lissouba expressed interest in expanding U.S.–Congo links, seeking increased U.S. development aid,
university exchanges, and greater U.S. investment in Congo. With the outbreak of the
second civil war in 1997, the U.S. Embassy was
evacuated. The embassy was closed, and its personnel became resident in
Kinshasa,
Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2001, embassy-suspended operations were lifted, and embassy personnel were allowed to travel to
Brazzaville for periods of extended temporary duty from the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa. As a result, U.S.-Congo bilateral relations were reinvigorated. In 2003 and 2004, this practice continued, and a site for construction of a new embassy was acquired in July 2004. Diplomatic activities, operations, and programs were carried out in a temporary bank location until January 2009, when a new, fully functioning embassy was opened. Relations between the United States and the government of President Denis Sassou-Nguesso are positive and cooperative. ==Diplomatic missions==