The Southern African Development Community Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) office was launched in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, ahead of the elections scheduled for 30 July, 2006.

This follows the Interstate Politics and Diplomacy Committee (ISPDC) meeting that was held in Namibia on the 13-15 June, 2006 which considered the seriousness of the electoral process and the need to ensure peace and security before, during and after the elections in DRC.

Amongst those in attendance were Honourable John A. Pandeni who is the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development of the Republic of Namibia and Leader of the SADC Electoral Observer Mission to the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Dr Tomaz Augusto Salomão, the Executive Secretary of Southern African Development Community (SADC).