France asks for respect for electoral calendar in DRC

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- French ambassador to the United Nations Francois Delattre on Tuesday asked the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to stick to a newly published electoral calendar.

"Credible, transparent and peaceful elections leading to a peaceful and democratic transition are necessary for the stability of the DRC and the entire region. We call for the holding of the elections as scheduled under the electoral calendar published on Nov. 5, 2017," Delattre told the Security Council.

"We call on the Congolese authorities and the Independent National Electoral Commission to take all necessary steps, in particular (measures) to enable the quick deployment of the joint team of international experts to support the electoral process and to resume the support project for the elections in Congo."

He said the Political Agreement of Dec, 31, 2016 remains central and its full implementation is urgent. It is indispensable to have the conditions in place so that all candidates can speak freely and campaign in peace, he said.

The implementation of the agreement is all the more important because the security and humanitarian situation is troubling. The stagnation of the political process will only add to the instability that threatens the region, warned the French envoy, whose country is the "pen holder" on the DRC issue.

The Dec. 31, 2016 agreement allowed President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, to stay on after his term of office expired, on the condition that elections would be held within 2017. But elections were delayed on the grounds of logistic difficulties. On Nov. 5, 2017, the country's electoral commission published an electoral calendar for the combined presidential, legislative and provincial elections for Dec. 23, 2018.

Delattre condemned the violence committed by the DRC security forces during the demonstrations at New Year's Eve in the DRC, which caused several casualties.

Briefing the Security Council, UN Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said electoral preparations are advancing despite political tensions. Enditem