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As the High Representative Federica Mogherini and the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the European Union (EU) will have to discuss the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the next Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting on 21 January 2019, The Network for Central Africa (EurAc) and its 37 member organizations of the EU strongly encourage policy and policy makers to support the positions of regional organizations and urge the Congolese authorities to make a report transparent of the votes cast during the elections of 30 December 2018. The EU should also continue to ask the Congolese authorities to publish the minutes of each of the results gathering centers. The truth of the ballot is essential to avoid discrediting the electoral processes in the country, especially in the context of the upcoming local elections. This is crucial for the EU to show its support to the population in these very critical post-election moments.
In fact, almost twenty days after the presidential, legislative and provincial elections that took place on December 30, 2018, the post-electoral situation in the DRC is today increasingly marked by uncertainty and the risk of renewed violence and chaos. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has finally published the provisional results of the presidential elections on 10 January 2019, declaring Felix Tshisekedi as the new president, the results are now strongly contested by some opposition sectors and by some national observers, in particular by the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO). Even the main regional organizations and actors have issued strong declarations in favor of transparency. In its recent declaration, the high-level advisory meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) called for compliance with the vote expressed by the Congolese people. A few days before, the 16 members SADC declaration asked for a new vote. The President of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso, current president of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), echo this position, stating that a recount "would provide the necessary guarantee to the winners and losers".
Furthermore, solid surveys conducted by reliable international media based on data leaked by the CENI and data independent of CENCO election observers have recently shown that the results of the CENI have been manipulated and manipulated in favor of the arrival of President Felix Tshisekedi, instead of another candidate Martin Fayulu.
The tumultuous pre-election process was already characterized by the repeated intimidation of the regime, threats, judicial harassment, illegal arrests, detentions and acts of torture against movements of citizens' movements, human rights defenders, journalists, members and sympathizers of opposition parties. This tense climate of repression is very likely to continue in the current post-election process and the situation requires the highest level of attention and action from the EU and EU Member States that will meet on Monday. , strengthening the current firmness of the EU.
Recognizing the welcome measures taken by the EU and EU Member States over the last month on the DRC, EurAc and its 37 member organizations of the EU strongly encourage policy and decision makers of the EU to firmly maintain their firm position in the future and to strengthen it by strongly supporting the positions of AU, SADC and ICGLR, publicly calling for a transparent vote, recount and reaffirm the need to publish the minutes of each results gathering center , which are the only ways to guarantee a credible and peaceful outcome of this historic electoral process.
For information on the media and / or more information, please contact:
Julie Capoulade
Communications Manager – EurAc
Mobile phone: +32 499 81 01 77
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