What's In Blue

Posted Thu 1 Dec 2011

Briefing on the DRC elections

Council members are expecting a briefing by video-conference tomorrow (2 December) by Roger Meese, the head of the UN’s mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) on Monday’s elections. Council members are likely to be interested in Meese’s assessment of the preliminary reports of the international observer missions on the conduct of the presidential and legislative elections. The issue of irregularities and their impact on the electoral process is also likely to be covered.

Meese made a statement today deploring the violence that has marred the election in some areas and called on all political leaders to urge their supporters to refrain from violence. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has also deplored the violence and stressed that political differences cannot be resolved through killings.

It seems that France is also working on a possible press statement that could be adopted following tomorrow’s briefing. It is likely the press statement will ask all sides to refrain from violence, support free elections, call on all parties to act responsibly and channel any challenges through the appropriate mechanisms.

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