Heads of State of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and SADC have raised deep concerns on the acts of violence being experienced in some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a joint Communiqué, the Heads of State, who attended an emergency mini Summit on the DRC in Brazzaville, Wednesday, expressed fear that the violence experienced during campaigns in the DRC might compromise the conducive holding of free and fair elections.

The Heads of State comprised of President Edgar Lungu as SADC chairman, Namibian President Hage Geingob, President Denis Sassou N’guesso of the Republic of Congo, President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco of Angola and President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisis of Botswana.

They called on political parties and the civil society in DRC to exercise restraint in order for the elections to take place in a peaceful environment.

The presidents further reaffirmed the importance of peace, security and stability in the regions which they viewed as key to development.

Concerning the electoral process in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Heads of State recalled the need to fulfil the commitments made within the context of the peace and security pact and the framework agreement for peace, security and development in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region.

Meanwhile the Heads of State strongly condemned the acts of violence perpetrated in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo by armed groups against civilians and the UN Stabilization Mission to that country.

They also called the International Community to fully support DRC Government in their fight against the epidemic of Ebola and further expressed their solidarity and compassion towards victims of Ebola in the Region of Beni.

And the Heads of States welcomed the deployment of observation missions by the African Union, SADC, ECCAS in the period leading up to the elections.