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Congo's Catholic church warns Kabila deal risks falling apart
Democratic Republic Congo's President Joseph Kabila attends the signing ceremony of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes, at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 24, 2013. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri
23/01/2017
KINSHASA (Reuters) - A deal struck last month requiring Congo President Joseph Kabila to step down after elections this year risks unravelling if politicians do not quickly reach compromises on implementing the accord, Catholic bishops mediating the talks said on Monday.
The Dec. 31 deal was greeted as a critical step towards averting a slide into anarchy and possibly civil war in Democratic Republic of Congo over Kabila's decision to remain in power when his mandate expired last month.
The accord, signed by representatives of Kabila's ruling coalition and the main opposition bloc, bars Kabila from trying to change the constitution to stand for a third term in an election to be held by the end of this year.
But talks this month on implementing components of the deal have stalled, Congo's Catholic Bishops Conference (CENCO) said in a statement.
"The CENCO launches an appeal to the negotiators to ... not lose sight of the main objective of these negotiations, which is organising the elections in less than a year," it said.
"The CENCO is not prepared to mediate indefinitely without results."
The main obstacles include a disagreement over the composition of a council to monitor progress towards elections and whether the main opposition bloc must allow Kabila to choose from multiple prime ministerial candidates.
Kabila has ruled the giant central African country since his father's assassination in 2001 and the extension of his mandate saw violent protests in which security forces killed at least 40 people.
Congo has never experienced a peaceful transition of power and millions have died in conflicts in the country's east since 1996, most from hunger and disease.
(Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Joe Bavier and Janet Lawrence)
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