UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 16 March 2005
President Kabila's visit to Japan and Parliament's proceedings on the age of the president are the major topics in today's local press.
Referring to President Kabila's tour to Asia, L'Avenir writes: « Joseph Kabila has won a victory in Japan». In its editorial, the paper highlights « If Japanese officials did not actually believe in DR Congo's recovery, how could they have promised a contribution of 7 million dollars for the electoral process in addition to the already existing huge discreet contribution to DRC peacekeeping' ». Le Palmarès, in turn, writes on its front page: « J. Kabila unsuccessfully tried to win the Japanese yesterday! ». The paper says, «...no Japanese investor will come to the DRC for investments in response to the Congolese President's pathetic appeal. So, this leg of the President's tour was not successful at all»
Le Phare and La Référence Plus focus on the parliament's proceedings about the President's age. The first notes that « President's age has blocked the Senate» and the second says «45 years of age or a President having previous experience».
Le Phare writes, «As proof that we are not out of the wood yet, the senators' fizzled out, without reaching an agreement on the article 71 relating to the age of the President including the three articles (214, 215 and 216) relating to the constitutional court». La Référence Plus, for its part, notes that « the issue on the minimum age of the President divided the senators into two groups. «Some reject the minimum age of 30 and holds on to 40 as the minimum age (') Others reject the minimum age of 40 with an addendum to avoid sidelining too visibly some candidates», the paper writes» « In this particular case, the constitutional commission of the high chamber of the parliament splits the difference to sort out such a crucial issue by proposing that one of the conditions for eligibility be 45 minimum age including assuming of previous official functions», the paper says.
In other news, Le Potentiel writes, «Brussels is discussing the future of DRC with Washington; discussions are apparently stormy since the troika is exploring way out to the Congolese crisis. Brussels will try to debrief the troika on the DRC situation and persuade its partners, notably Washington that it has the capacity to handle the DRC issue », the paper writes « For the United States which shoulders the bulk of the bill, the prolongation of the DRC process is out of the question which implies that Washington is very prudent.», Le Potentiel further says.
Le Phare and La Référence Plus focus on the parliament's proceedings about the President's age. The first notes that « President's age has blocked the Senate» and the second says «45 years of age or a President having previous experience».
Le Phare writes, «As proof that we are not out of the wood yet, the senators' fizzled out, without reaching an agreement on the article 71 relating to the age of the President including the three articles (214, 215 and 216) relating to the constitutional court». La Référence Plus, for its part, notes that « the issue on the minimum age of the President divided the senators into two groups. «Some reject the minimum age of 30 and holds on to 40 as the minimum age (') Others reject the minimum age of 40 with an addendum to avoid sidelining too visibly some candidates», the paper writes» « In this particular case, the constitutional commission of the high chamber of the parliament splits the difference to sort out such a crucial issue by proposing that one of the conditions for eligibility be 45 minimum age including assuming of previous official functions», the paper says.
In other news, Le Potentiel writes, «Brussels is discussing the future of DRC with Washington; discussions are apparently stormy since the troika is exploring way out to the Congolese crisis. Brussels will try to debrief the troika on the DRC situation and persuade its partners, notably Washington that it has the capacity to handle the DRC issue », the paper writes « For the United States which shoulders the bulk of the bill, the prolongation of the DRC process is out of the question which implies that Washington is very prudent.», Le Potentiel further says.
