Brussels, 23/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - Concerned at President Joseph Kabila's attempts to try and stay in power in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in an atmosphere of intimidation and violence, the European foreign affairs ministers called on the government and all other parties, and especially the independent national electoral committee (CENI), to urgently create the conditions needed for “the holding of free, transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections”.
As uncertainty hangs over the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections, the EU calls on the Congolese authorities to relaunch the political process as quickly as possible - as recorded in the Council conclusions that were adopted by unanimity without debate.
In line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2277, the EU calls on the CENI to communicate a revised timetable as quickly as possible and options that might enable the various political actors to give their opinion of the situation.
The EU asks the DRC government to develop a payment plan for the elections quickly and to update the electoral lists. “Only a clear political commitment from the government, both political and financial, will enable the EU to bring its support to the electoral process”, the Council stated.
While taking note of the Constitutional Court's decision of 11 May, the EU says that “a democratic government bases its legitimacy on regular elections in the time limits stipulated by the constitution” and that “the lack of clarity on this currently constitutes a great factor of instability in the country”.
In view of the current deadlock and rise in tension, the EU underlines the urgent need for a “brief and precise political dialogue between all the political actors” so as to reach “a consensus swiftly on a clear roadmap, on the basis of a timetable and credible financial needs”. The EU asks all the Congolese parties to cooperate fully with the African Union's facilitator, Edem Kodjo, whose mission is supported by the UN, with a view to a truly credible dialogue.
The EU underlines its concerns at the obstacles to political debate, especially in Lubumbashi, Goma and Kinshasa, and at reports of a growing number of human rights violations and attacks on public freedoms with regard to political leaders, media professionals and civil society (including human rights campaigners). It considers MONUSCO's (the UN stabilisation mission in the DRC) tasks are fundamental in documenting and reporting on human rights violations. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)