To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received on the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and whether she has seen evidence indicating vote-tampering or other electoral irregularities. (107732)

Both polling days in the Democratic Republic of Congo were generally well conducted under the guidance of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) with significant international support. Reports from Congolese and international observer missions, such as the Carter Centre and the European Union, identified some isolated technical problems and irregularities in the process. These irregularities included inflation of turnout and discrepancies between votes cast and scores published in some constituencies. However, their reports indicate that both presidential candidates benefited and that these irregularities had no significant effect on overall results. We share the observer missions’ belief that the results published by the CEI and endorsed by the Supreme Court of Justice on 27 November are credible and reflect the will of the Congolese people.