Chilly Morning Gathering in Joncherolles
The icy air over northern Paris could not freeze the emotion that swept through the Joncherolles funeral complex on Saturday morning. Hundreds of Congolese expatriates, diplomats and French friends waited patiently to salute Ambassador Paul Alexandre Mapingou, who passed away on 28 September, aged sixty-nine.
A vibrant choir began singing Nkolo Nzambi before the first prayer, setting a tone that mixed liturgy with memories of diplomacy, family and music. Many present had travelled from Lille, Lyon or even Brussels, cities where Mapingou’s discreet generosity had quietly sponsored student tuitions and cultural events.
A Career Bridging Congo and Europe
Inside the main hall, a framed portrait showed the former ambassador in his trademark double-breasted suit, subtly smiling. Nearby stood flags of Congo-Brazzaville, France and the European Union, reminders of a three-decade career that carried him from Zanaga to Brussels and countless multilateral summits.
Paul Mapingou served as ambassador to Belgium and the European institutions between 2002 and 2011, after acting as deputy secretary-general at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and later as roving ambassador at large (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville). Colleagues recall a negotiator who preferred soft-spoken persuasion to confrontation.
Protocol and Prayers under the Tricolor
Saturday’s celebration began with protocol. The Congolese flag was slowly folded and handed to Mapingou’s widow, Pierrette, by Minister-Counsellor Armand Rémy Balloud-Tabawé, representing the Brazzaville embassy. Close behind, Communication Minister Nicéphore Antoine Fylla Saint-Eudes, a childhood friend, laid a wreath of yellow roses on behalf of the government.
In a brief address he underlined the envoy’s sense of duty. ‘He loved dialogue and never forgot rural Kellé where his roots lie,’ Saint-Eudes said, inviting the audience to applaud ‘a servant who made the tricolour shine abroad while remaining humble at home.’ The hall answered with long clapping.
Voices of Family and Friends
Testimonies followed, each revealing a different facet: the skilful protocol mentor, the chess enthusiast, the uncle who mailed rare Brazzaville vinyl to nieces overseas. Former attaché Mireille Koubemba remembered nightly debriefings where Mapingou insisted every cable ‘must carry facts, context and respect for partners, nothing less.’
Between speeches, a slideshow projected family moments: a young Paul enrolling at the École nationale d’administration in 1978, shaking hands with President Denis Sassou Nguesso in 1986, and later listening to rumba legend Madilu System. Laughter burst when an image showed him dancing during Belgium’s National Day parade.
Yet the most moving words came from Pascale Anne-Karen Mapingou, whom the diplomat treated ‘like a second daughter.’ Fighting tears, she thanked him for teaching patience and for quoting Kipling’s ‘If’ whenever doubt clouded her studies. Many wiped their eyes as she whispered, ‘Bonne route, Papa Paul.’
Legacy Beyond Diplomacy
Outside, volunteers served mint tea and manioc fritters under portable heaters. Jean-Claude Moukouma, president of the Congolese Students Union in France, said the diplomat personally helped renew thirty residence permits last year. ‘He would phone prefectures himself. Losing him is losing a protective roof,’ Moukouma sighed.
Paul Mapingou’s sense of style was equally celebrated. Fashion blogger Stacy Bafouaka recalled his advice: ‘An ambassador speaks before opening his mouth; his jacket should already set the tempo.’ The deceased was known for pairing Congolese cut-away shirts with Parisian pocket squares, merging identities effortlessly.
Diplomatic historian Dr Germain Loufoua suggested Mapingou embodied a post-Brazzaville Accords generation that rebuilt external relations after the 1990s turbulence. ‘He demonstrated that loyalty to institutions can walk hand in hand with cultural openness,’ Loufoua noted, urging young officials to reread the envoy’s speeches archived in Brussels.
Homeward Journey and Future Tributes
The ceremony ended shortly after midday. The coffin, covered with white orchids, was driven to Roissy, from where it will fly home for a public wake in Brazzaville before burial in Kellé, his native district. Authorities confirmed state honours will accompany the final interment later this week.
For the diaspora, the farewell also became a networking moment. Several business cards changed hands near the exit, and a WhatsApp group titled ‘Legacy Paul A. Mapingou’ was created to coordinate scholarships in his name. Participants pledged to publish an annual essay prize on regional integration.
Paris City Hall expressed solidarity through a short statement highlighting the ambassador’s contribution to Francophonie dialogues. Local councillor Sandra Gomez said the municipality would consider adding his name to the multicultural memory trail installed around Saint-Denis. Discussions with the Congolese embassy are reportedly progressing smoothly.
From protocol officers to street musicians, voices gathered at Joncherolles agreed on a common image: Mapingou as a bridge-builder. ‘He showed us that you can be fully Congolese and fully citizen of the world,’ said theology student Béatrice Mabika, echoing the words many had on their lips.
His body leaves France, but stories remain in Paris living rooms, embassy corridors and WhatsApp feeds. By evening, the hashtag #PapaPaul trended among Congolese timelines, carrying photos from the service. A final proof, perhaps, that an ambassador is never truly off duty, even beyond life.
