An hour and 50 minutes. The hearing will come to order. Welcome. Im very i think the committee is privileged to see our distinguished careful joining us. Ed rice. Thank you for your ongoing leadership and for yesterdays important briefing with nikki haley, our ambassador to the United Nations, and important briefing in the afternoon was on the congo. Thank you chairman royce. The democratic republic of congo was supposed to conduct elections one year ago this month. In order to achieve the required transition by december 19th, after years of stalling on making preparations for elections, the government of the drc failed to hold elections last year. And relied on a constitutional provision that Joseph Kabilla could not step down until an election was held to select a replace. Both the chairman and i and others have had ongoing meetings with the officials, including high level people who have flown here to washington. Time and time again we have admonished them stick to the schedule and
The hearing will come to order. I think committee is privileged to see our distinguished chairman joining us monopo. I thank him for his leadership on africa. So great to see you and thank you for your ongoing leadership and for yesterdays important briefing on nikki haley our ambassador to the United Nations and a major portion of that important briefing late in the afternoon was on the congo. So thank you, chairman royce. The democratic republic of congo was supposed to conduct elekdss one year ago this month to achieve the required transition of political power by december 19th. However, after years of stalling on making preparations for elections, the government failed to hold elections last year and relied on a provision that he could not step down until an election was held. Our Ranking Member have had had ongoing meetings with the roc officials, including high level people who have flown to washington and time and time again we haved a monished them stick to the schedule and ins
The hearing will come to order. I think committee is privileged to see our distinguished chairman joining us monopo. I thank him for his leadership on africa. So great to see you and thank you for your ongoing leadership and for yesterdays important briefing on nikki haley our ambassador to the United Nations and a major portion of that important briefing late in the afternoon was on the congo. So thank you, chairman royce. The democratic republic of congo was supposed to conduct elekdss one year ago this month to achieve the required transition of political power by december 19th. However, after years of stalling on making preparations for elections, the government failed to hold elections last year and relied on a provision that he could not step down until an election was held. Our Ranking Member have had had ongoing meetings with the roc officials, including high level people who have flown to washington and time and time again we haved a monished them stick to the schedule and ins
The hearing will come to order. I think committee is privileged to see our distinguished chairman joining us monopo. I thank him for his leadership on africa. So great to see you and thank you for your ongoing leadership and for yesterdays important briefing on nikki haley our ambassador to the United Nations and a major portion of that important briefing late in the afternoon was on the congo. So thank you, chairman royce. The democratic republic of congo was supposed to conduct elekdss one year ago this month to achieve the required transition of political power by december 19th. However, after years of stalling on making preparations for elections, the government failed to hold elections last year and relied on a provision that he could not step down until an election was held. Our Ranking Member have had had ongoing meetings with the roc officials, including high level people who have flown to washington and time and time again we haved a monished them stick to the schedule and ins
With me, zeinab badawi. The president of the democratic republic of congo, Joseph Kabila, has been in powerfor 16 years, and should have stood down at elections that were due last november. Still no elections are in sight and opposition leaders are growing increasingly frustrated. My guest today is opposition politician Moise Katumbi. Is effectively in exile in europe, so is effectively in exile in europe, so what can he achieve that this distance . At this distance. And has the opposition been outmanoeuvred by president kabila . Moise katumbi, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. December the 31st last year, a deal was hammered out under the auspices of a group of powerful Catholic Bishops in the drc. Does that present a way forward . There should be a Transitional Administration, pending elections to be held in 2018, Joseph Kabila wont stand. Yes, we know that deal, which the argument with the congolese government and the opposition, supposed to serve the country. So far the agreement is