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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Security Council calls for calm during Congo vote count |
| 2006-08-04 |
| Saluting the citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for their participation in historic, largely peaceful elections on Sunday, the Security Council today appealed to them to maintain the "same spirit of civic responsibility" while they await the results. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the sole authority permitted to release the vote count, has said a provisional tally will not be available before 20 August. "The Security Council urges all political actors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to continue to work to ensure that the electoral process proceeds in a free, transparent and peaceful manner, in accordance with the agreed timetable," said the statement, issued by the Council's current President, Ambassador Nana Effah-Apenteng of Ghana. "The Council calls on political leaders to refrain from making inflammatory speeches." The statement comes one day after the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the DRC, William Lacy Swing, called on candidates not to proclaim victory before the vote count is complete. |
| Posted by:Fred |