The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Congo of the upcoming local and parliamentary elections scheduled for July 16, 2017. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise caution while traveling within Congo during the election season. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings or protests.
The period leading up to, during, and following the election is a good time for U.S. citizens to review their personal security and preparedness plans. Remain aware of your surroundings, avoid crowds and mass demonstrations, and monitor local news stations for updates. Although there have been no specific incidents of violence or threats targeting U.S. citizens, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution and stay informed by following media coverage of local events. As always, maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security.
For further information:
· See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution , Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Congo .
· Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program STEP to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
· Contact the U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville, located at 70-83 Boulevard Denis Sassou Nguesso, Brazzaville, Congo, at +242-06-612-2000, 8.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday – Thursday; 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m on Friday. After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is (+242) 06-612-2010.
· Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
