[wanabidii] Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo - Compromise Electoral Law Adopted

You are subscribed to Africa for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Africa: Democratic Republic of Congo - Compromise Electoral Law Adopted 01/25/2015 08:15 PM EST Democratic Republic of Congo - Compromise Electoral Law Adopted Press Statement Jen Psaki Department Spokesperson Washington, DC January 25, 2015 The United States welcomes the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's approval of electoral legislation that sets the country on course towards timely elections in line with its Constitution. We applaud the efforts of the National Assembly and the Senate to reach consensus and ensure that presidential elections happen no later than December 2016. Parliament's action today reflects the will of the Congolese people and upholds the DRC constitution. We urge President Kabila to expeditiously sign the electoral legislation as passed by the Parliament and reaffirm that Congo's first peaceful transition of power will take place through presidential elections in 2016‎. We also call upon the National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) to release a global electoral calendar promptly that is in line with Parliament's action and the Constitution. The actions the DRC Parliament has taken today, along with President Kabila's expected signature, represent critical, albeit initial, steps towards national elections in 2016 and what could be the DRC's first peaceful transfer in power in its almost 55 years since independence. We encourage all Congolese stakeholders, including the government, opposition, and civil society, to use this opportunity to undertake a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive dialogue about the electoral process moving forward. The United States stands ready to support the DRC in this process. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of State. This email was sent to wanabidii@googlegroups.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520