UN Security Council to meet on DR Congo elections

United Nations, United States | AFP | The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on Friday on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, diplomats said.

France requested the meeting, scheduled for 3:00 pm (2000 GMT), as world powers await results from the landmark vote held Sunday.

The Catholic Church on Thursday said it had information from polling stations that showed one candidate had come out as the winner of the presidential race.

The National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) called on the election commission to “publish the election results in keeping with truth and justice.”

The United States demanded that “accurate” election results be released and called on the DRC authorities to remove restrictions on internet access.

Western powers and DRC’s neighbors hope sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest country will see its first peaceful transition of power since independence in 1960.

President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, did not run in the elections. A total of 21 candidates including Kabila’s handpicked successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, are vying for the presidency.

The council is scheduled to hold a public meeting on the DR Congo on Tuesday.