The new Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bruno Tshibala, told AFP on Tuesday that he intended to finance the ballot to appoint President Joseph Kabila's successor with "internal" resources, which he did not specify. 'origin.

"We will do everything possible to mobilize internal financial resources to finance the elections," Tshibala told Kinshasa, adding, however, that he saw "no disadvantage in Which would come from (...) foreign partners in the financing of elections, considered as "the priority of priorities" of his government.

But for the main ally of Tshibala, Joseph Olenghankoy, leader of the dissidence of the Rally - the coalition created by the historic opponent Étienne Tshisekedi, who died in February - "the priority" before the elections "is to meet the needs (Of) the people especially in the social, in the security ".

Olenghankoy made the remarks in reference to the country's economic crisis, after meeting with Mr. Tshibala in consultations prior to the formation of the government.

Mr. Kabila's mandate, which has been in power since 2001 and for which the Constitution prohibits representation, expired on December 20, 2016, but without the election of his successor, the Head of State in power.

The official reason put forward for the postponement of the presidential and legislative elections to be held at the same time, was a lack of resources of the Congolese State to finance them.

Since the beginning of 2016, the country's public finances have continued to deteriorate with the fall in commodity prices on world markets, while copper and cobalt extracted in the DRC account for 80% of the revenue The country.

"Foreign interference" excluded

In this particularly difficult context, Mr Tshibala did not specify by which means he intended to improve the State's fiscal room.

In a speech to Parliament, Mr Kabila assured on 5 April that "the elections would indeed take place", without saying what the deadline would be, and excluding in advance any "foreign interference" in the piloting and The electoral process.

Mr. Tshibala was appointed Prime Minister on Friday, a few days after being excluded from the Rally.

Mr. Kabila maintains that his appointment is in line with the agreement reached on 31 December 2016 by the majority and the opposition, under the auspices of the Catholic Church, to get the country out of the crisis linked to its retention of power .

This political compromise (which the President has not signed) foresees the retention of Mr Kabila as head of the country until the election of a successor elected during a presidential election scheduled to take place at the end of 2017. Appears today hypothetical. In return, the post of Prime Minister of a new enlarged government must return to the Rally. For Tshisekedi's party, Mr. Tshibala's choice is a violation of the agreement and a "betrayal bonus."

A continent in the heart of Africa devastated by two wars between 1996 and 2003, the DRC has not undergone any democratic transition of power since its independence from Belgium in 1960.