AFRICA/DR CONGO - Further negotiations are needed to put into practice the agreement on December 31

Tuesday, 3 January 2017 bishops   elections  

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) - The agreement reached on December 31 between the majority and opposition in the Democratic Republic of Congo need other agreements in order to be applied. Local observers are convinced of this and even the signatories of the agreement that provides for the maintenance in power of President Joseph Kabila for another year (his term had expired on December 20), the appointment of a Premier appointed by the opposition and the creation of a national Council to monitor the operations of the electoral process (Conseil national de suivi de l'accord et du processus électoral CNSAP) led by the historic opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi. In March, Parliament must approve the law that establishes this body. Kabila pledged not show up for a third term in the upcoming elections.
The agreement was reached thanks to the three weeks of mediation conducted under the auspices of the Congolese National Episcopal Conference (INEC), and in particular of its President, His Exc. Mgr. Marcel Utembi, Archbishop of Kisangani.
The points still under discussion concern the holding of presidential and legislative elections in 2017 and the extent of agreement with other opposition groups that have not acceded to it. Among these there is the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC) of former Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba.
Furthermore the signatories will have to establish the composition of CNSAP and procedure for appointing its 28 members as well as to decide the list of Ministers and their Deputy of the transitional government. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 03/01/2017)


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