Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the level of violence, civil unrest, and political tension in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Progress has been made in recent years towards tackling armed groups and improving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s security and stability. But the country remains fragile – as highlighted by the recent violence following the introduction of draft electoral reform legislation.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office press statement of 26 January welcomed the revised electoral law, which sought to address some of the protestors’ concerns. We are pleased that calls for an end to violence were heeded. Free, fair and peaceful elections, in line with the DRC’s constitution, are an integral part of efforts to build a more secure and prosperous country. We remain committed to working with the DRC government, UN and our international partners to support the DRC in the lead-up to Presidential and Parliamentary elections scheduled for 2016.