Concerns Mount Over DRC's Upcoming 'Troubled' Election

Western nations express unease as the EU cancels its observer mission and the US voices concern over transparency and potential violence.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's (DRC) upcoming general election has been criticized as 'ill prepared' and 'troubled' due to flaring rebel violence, shrinking space for dissent, and accusations of bias towards incumbent President Felix Tshisekedi.
The United States has expressed concern over the lack of transparency in the electoral process and increasing reports of attacks on political figures and civil society activists.
The European Union (EU) has cancelled its long-term election observer mission to the DRC due to security concerns and technical constraints.
Despite its mineral wealth, the DRC is among the five poorest nations in the world, with 62% of its population living on less than $2.15 a day.
The DRC is strategically important due to its location in central Africa, its borders with nine countries, and its rich mineral resources, which are increasingly owned by China.