The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is preparing to hold elections at the end of this year, and a European Union electoral observation mission is expected in June in Kinshasa, at the invitation of the Congolese authorities. This exploratory mission will meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and the various stakeholders concerned to assess the feasibility of this mission.
According to the EU Ambassador to the DRC, the organization of free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections is an imperative, and respect for the independence of justice, the rule of law and public freedoms are essential a determining factor. However, major challenges persist, such as insecurity, the corn flour crisis or the disastrous consequences of the floods in South Kivu with more than 400 deaths.
Despite this, the country continues to face these difficulties and to move forward on other fronts. We can cite the electrification of the Walikale territory thanks to the Nduma Kasha project, the state examinations which have started in certain territories despite the insecurity, or the citizen evaluation of the 2022-2027 electoral calendar for transparent and peaceful elections. .
It is important to underline the work of the Independent National Electoral Commission which has already completed the voter identification and registration operations, and which is now working to clean up the electoral register before the external audit. In June, the CENI will convene the electorate for national legislative elections, an important step in this electoral process.
Overall, the DRC continues to move forward despite the many challenges it faces in this period of electoral preparation, and hope that these elections will contribute to strengthening democracy in the country.