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The European Union’s mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as it had prepared for its first democratically held elections in more than four decades, had been a “success”, both in the way it had been conducted and in its contribution to the country’s political transition, the Security Council was told this morning.
Briefing the Council on the European Union mission, Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, said the European Union’s intervention -– though not the first in that country –- had come at a crucial time, as the vast African nation entered the final phase of its transition process. The Union had worked very hard for several years to facilitate a democratic transition, for which elections were a key to success. Responding to the United Nations request for support almost a year ago, Europe had deployed a military force -- known as EUFOR RD Congo -- with operational headquarters provided by Germany, a European Union presence based in Kinshasa and force elements in Gabon ready to be deployed as necessary.
