Local experts in the Democratic Republic of Congo have bemoaned the decision by the European Union (EU) to withdraw its Observation Mission from the 20 December 2023 General Elections.
The EU announced the decision to withdraw its observers mission from the DRC elections citing frustrations instigated by incumbent President Fèlix Tshisekedi and his government.
In order to successfully carry out his agenda of election rigging schemes and malpractices, Tshisekedi had laid several barriers for the EU to restrict its observer mission to operate properly.
The CENCO Justice & Peace Commission in the DR Congo has since regretted the withdrawal of the EU which could mean dented diplomatic relations with a key player for the DR Congo.
“The DRC and the EU maintain relations in many sectors. The DRC subscribes to many international instruments regarding the organization of democratic elections. Relations between States are maintained through all these commitments. Now that the EU is withdrawing, under these conditions, it is a risk for bilateral relations,” CENI said.
Meanwhile, the government in the Democratic Republic of Congo has expressed regret at the European Union’s decision to withdraw its electoral observation mission from the country.
DR Congo is set to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 20 December, with 23 candidates running for president, amid a tense political climate.
The cancellation of the observer mission came as discussions on the EU mission’s deployment were ongoing, according to the state-run ACP news agency.
In a statement, the government said it was committed to successfully holding the elections with transparency, inclusiveness and freedom, and would welcome all observer missions wishing to work “in accordance with the laws and regulations of DR Congo”.
