European Union to deploy Election Observation Mission to Congo Elections

The European Commission will deploy an EU Election Observation Mission to observe the forthcoming presidential and legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), now scheduled to take place on 30 July 2006. General Philippe Morillon, Member of the European Parliament, will head the EU Election Observation Mission as Chief Observer. Provided that there are adequate security conditions, an EU EOM team of roughly 200 members are expected to be deployed throughout the country on election day.

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner said: "The upcoming elections in the DRC will be of crucial importance to determine democratic development and stability in the country and on the African continent. I am convinced that with the leadership of General Morillon, whom I have personally appointed, this mission will make a direct, positive contribution to the election process and open the road for democracy building in DRC."

General Morillon was also the Chief Observer of the mission to observe the referendum on the DRC's constitutional, which was held on 18 December 2005. The positive outcome of the referendum and the endorsement of the new Constitution by the Congolese electorate marked an important step forward in the transition to stability and democracy in the DRC, setting the stage for the elections of 30 July.^[1] The EU Election Observation Mission will be deployed by mid-June and will be in the country for a total of 18 weeks, which includes time to cover a potential second round of the presidential elections as well as the provincial elections. The Mission will consist of a core team of 13 experts which will be complemented by 30 long-term observers and 30 teams of short-term observers with an extended mandate to observe the whole election process, including the tabulation process, which will take place at a decentralised level. In addition around 75 teams of regular observers will deployed on election day.

EU independent electoral observation is part of the EU's commitment to supporting the transition process in the DRC. In addition to the EU Election Observation Missions deployed to the December 2005 constitutional referendum (total budget €1.7 million), and the mission to be deployed shortly to observe the forthcoming elections (total budget €6.9 million), the European Commission has also disbursed €149 million for electoral assistance, the largest financial support the EU has ever mobilized for an electoral process in a third country. This electoral assistance, financed under the 9^th EDF programme, has focused on establishing the electoral lists, producing electoral cards, voting material and equipment, organising vote counting, etc.

For additional information, see also:

http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/projects/eidhr/index_en.htm

EU Election Assistance & Observation: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/index.htm

^[1] Preliminary statement of the EOM can be found at

http://europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/human_rights/eu_election_ass_observ/drc/moe_rdc_decl_prelim_2005-12-21.pdf

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