Press Release: European Commission grants an extra EUR 16 million for the elections in Congo

In response to a request of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, has announced an additional contribution of €16 million from the European Development Fund (EDF) to finance the current elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With a total contribution of €165 million the European Commission is the biggest donor to the country’s electoral process. It is also involved in Congo through programmes on health, justice, governance, reform of the security sector and the restoration of basic infrastructure. It also finances humanitarian aid to the people most in need via an aid package that amounted to some €50 million in 2006. Also, for the present elections, the European Union is sending its largest ever observation team.