The Democratic Republic of the Congo held national presidential and legislative elections on December 30th 2018. The national electoral commission declared opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi the winner of the presidential poll. However, a leak from the same commission, whose results were extremely similar to those released by the Catholic Church’s observation mission, showed that Martin Fayulu, another opposition leader, clearly won the elections.

Despite this controversy, the post-electoral scene has been relatively stable. Tshisekedi was inaugurated on January 24th and has spent his first months traveling abroad––meeting with at least 17 heads of state since January––and in the country. Meanwhile, Martin Fayulu has launched a campaign to contest the election results, holding rallies in several towns across the country.

How do Congolese feel about the events? 

Driving Transformative Change: Foreign Affairs and the 2030 Agenda explores what contributions foreign policy can make on the road to achieving sustainable ways of life and provide guidance by pointing out entry points, priorities and trade-offs. They aim to inspire actors around the world to work together to initiate and boost the necessary changes and keep winning over new like-minded partners.

The volume comprises six incisive essays which highlight different foreign policy approaches to the SDGs, including an essay by CIC Senior Fellow David Steven and Non-Resident Fellow Rachel Locke entitled Beyond 16: The SDGS and the Opportunity to Build a More Peaceful World.