Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the next presidential election in that country.
Answered on
17 October 2016
One of my first visits since my appointment as Africa Minister in July was to the DRC on 8-10 August. During my visit, I met a number of senior members of the government. I stressed the importance of holding Presidential elections within the constitutional time frame. Our Embassy in Kinshasa and our Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region take every opportunity to make this point to members of the DRC Government. I also hosted an event on the DRC during the UN General Assembly in September, where I discussed a collective approach to addressing the issue of electoral delay with a number of foreign ministers and Special Envoys to the Great Lakes.
Following the violence in Kinshasa on 19 September, I made a statement condemning the violence and urged the DRC Government to set a date for Presidential elections as soon as possible in 2017; this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-for-africa-concerned-at-violence-in-drc. On 20 September, I made a further such statement urging for respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as reiterating the need for a date for Presidential elections; this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tobias-ellwood-minister-for-middle-east-and-africa-calls-on-drc-government-to-set-election-date