U.S. envoy Haley says Congo election must take place in 2018

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is received upon arriving at the N’Djili International Airport in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, October 25, 2017. REUTERS/Robert Carrubba

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Friday that a long-delayed election in Congo to replace President Joseph Kabila must take place next year, or else the process will lose international support.

Haley made the comments to reporters following a meeting with Democratic Republic of Congo’s electoral commission, which said earlier this month that the election could not take place until April 2019 at the earliest.