DR Congo's int'l partners voice support for political dialogue

Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) international partners on Monday expressed support for the proposed political dialogue.

The partners made their position known in a joint statement that was respectively released in Addis Ababa, Brussels, New York and Paris by the African Union, European Union, United Nations and the International Organization of the Francophonie.

The four DR Congo partner organizations pointed out the importance of successfully holding political dialogue to achieve consensus that will enable the country to hold free and fair elections within the constitutional timeline.

Dialogue is aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the country, as well as deepening the democratic and rule of law processes, the statement said.

The four organizations reaffirmed their support to facilitation efforts led by Edem Kodjo, a facilitator to the dialogue who was named by the African Union commission.

They also agreed, in the statement, to put in place a group to support the facilitation, comprising of representatives from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region as well as the Southern Africa Development Community.

Further, the partners agreed to mobilize the necessary resources and expertise to maximize the chances of success of the dialogue.

In their statement, DR Congo's partners reiterated the primary role that the Congolese government and political parties have in preserving peace and stability in the country.

"In this regard, we urge all Congolese actors to engage in dialogue and fully cooperate with the facilitator. We appeal to them not to engage in any actions that will increase tension and lead to violence. Restraint and a sense of responsibility are the two major requirements at this particular time in DR Congo's history," the statement continued.

At the same time, the partners urged the government to continue promoting respect for the rule of law and freedoms outlined in the Constitution. Endit