Montreal
Voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will go to the polls next Monday, November 28.
To ensure that proper voting procedures are followed, the National Conference of Congolese Bishops (CENCO) will be deploying some 30,000 independent observers throughout the country.
At the request of the bishops of the DRC, a delegation from Development and Peace will be joining other observers this week in Katanga Province.
Included in this delegation:
- Bishop Albert Thévenot, Bishop of Prince Albert Diocese, Saskatchewan.
- Denis Tougas, Coordinator, the African Great Lakes Region Issues Table, Entraide Missionnaire.
Mouloud Idir, from the Vivre Ensemble sector of the Centre Justice et Foi. - Myriam Larouche-Tremblay, Education Material Officer, Development and Peace.
- Serge Blais, Programs Officer - Africa, Development and Peace.
"We want, with our presence, to support Church and civil society initiatives to hold democratic and peaceful elections. This country has to experience democratic progress so that an end can be put to corruption and the country's fabulous wealth can benefit the entire population," said Serge Blais.
The Programs Officer said that, despite its vast natural resources, the DRC now ranks last among all the world’s countries according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Human Development Index (HDI).
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For more information please contact:
François Gloutnay, Communications Officer 514 257-8711 poste 318
francois.gloutnay@devp.org