DRC President Tshisekedi declares poll standoff over
The tense post-electoral standoff in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been resolved, according to a statement by President Félix Tshisekedi.
“The people have accepted a power transfer and it’s business as usual in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The post-electoral misunderstanding is over”, Tshisekedi told reporters after upon his return to Kinshasa from the 32nd summit of African Union heads of state and government held on 10-12 February 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The AU had been initially reluctant after the announcement of the results giving Tshisekedi victory in the presidential election in DR Congo, before sending a congratulatory message to the declared winner.
After the summit, which elected him as the second vice-president of the AU, Tshisekedi expressed delight over his peers’ acceptance of him in their midst and UN endorsement of his presidency.
Commissioner Antonio Guterres and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini respectively also congratulated him.
In addition to the Angolan, Kenyan and Congolese presidents, whom he met before flying to Addis Ababa summit, Tshisekedi spoke in the Ethiopian capital on the sidelines of the summit with other heads of state of the sub-region, including Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni.
– APA
