The Joint Electoral Observation Mission of the African Diaspora in Europe and the Agir Europe-Afrique Group recently published a statement calling for respect for the institutions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) regarding the general elections of December 20, 2023. The head of the mission, Zalikatou Diallo, expressed his concern about the behavior of certain political actors who are calling for the cancellation of the elections.
In its statement, the Joint Electoral Observation Mission underlines the importance of respecting the institutions of the DRC and calls on the Congolese population to place their trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and the constitutional court. The mission also condemns the behavior of certain observation missions which claim to publish the results of the vote in place of the CENI.
The mission highlights the fact that the DRC is an independent and sovereign state, and underlines the success of the political alternation in 2018 and the country’s capacity to organize fair, credible, free, transparent and secure elections. She therefore encourages the Congolese people to trust the CENI and to remain calm and serene.
It is important to note that the DRC recently completed its fourth electoral cycle, despite logistical and financial challenges. The CENI received logistical support in particular from the Egyptian Armed Forces and the FARDC, as well as help from MONUSCO to transport voting kits to hard-to-reach areas across the country.
Currently, the CENI has begun publishing the results of the presidential election for Congolese living abroad, and plans to proclaim all provisional results by the end of the year. The electoral dispute will then be examined by the Constitutional Court, which will validate or invalidate the results published by the CENI. The new President of the Republic will be sworn in on January 20, 2024, according to the electoral calendar.
In conclusion, the Joint Electoral Observation Mission of the African Diaspora in Europe and the Agir Europe-Afrique Group calls for confidence in the institutions of the DRC and urges the Congolese population to remain calm and show serenity. Respect for the electoral results, as established by the CENI and the Constitutional Court, is essential to preserve stability and democracy in the DRC.