Jacques Yvon Ndolou

Jacques Yvon Ndolou (born 3 May 1944) is a Congolese politician, general and retired footballer. Throughout his military career, he served as Chief of General Staff of the Congolese Armed Forces from 1999 to 2002. He currently serves as the Ambassador to the Central African Republic since 29 June 2017, previously serving as the Ambassador to Germany from 15 May 2012 to 29 June 2017.

Early life Jacques Yvon Ndolou was born on 3 May 1944 in Bohoulou, a village in the Mossaka District. He studied at the Frunze Military Academy in Moscow, where he obtained a master's degree in military science and a diploma in general staff and tactical-operational command. He also studied at the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in France during the 1970s.

Military and Political career Ndolou entered service on 22 June 1962. He was put at the head of Military Zone No. and participated in the creation of the Marien-Ngouabi Military Academy. In 1998, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general by Denis Sassou-Nguesso. A year later, on 22 January 1999, he was appointed Chief of General Staff of the Congolese Armed Forces after Yves Motandeau-Monghot was involved in a coup d'état. On 1 October 2002, he was promoted to the rank of Major General.

Ndolou held the position of Chief of Staff of the Minister of Defence from 1995 to 1999. He then became Minister Delegate to the Presidency of the Republic in charge of the National Defence (2002–2005), before becoming Minister at the Presidency of the same portfolio on 7 January 2005, a position he held until September 2009, when he was replaced by Charles Zacharie Bowao. During his tenure as Minister of Defence, he inaugurated the "Stele of the Dead" on 21 June 2006. He was then appointed Minister of Sports and Physical Education on 15 September 2009 in place of Serge Michel Odzoki, and held this position until 17 August 2011, when he was replaced by Léon-Alfred Opimbat.

Sports career A versatile sportsman, he participated with his volleyball team in the first in 1962 held in Bangui where he won the silver medal. His volleyball career would continue into the first African Games in 1965 in Brazzaville, where he won gold with his team. He later began a footballing career as a defensive midfielder, playing for Abeilles, Étoile du Congo and Inter Brazzaville Ndolou also represented Congo internationally, he began playing in 1969 where he played against Pelé during a visit of Santos to Brazzaville in January that year. He later served as the captain of Les Diables Rouges for the 1972 African Cup of Nations where the team won their only title as of .

Personal life Ndolou is married and the father of twelve children.