International donors raised an extra $100 million for the upcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday, narrowing the gap in funding for the polls intended to end a civil war. "The donors and the Congolese government have reinforced their support with additional funds of $100 million," the European Commission and the United Nations said in a joint statement after a donors conference in Brussels, Reuters reported. The cost of the elections, which include presidential polls and a vote on a new constitution, have been estimated at around $420 million and some $150 million still need to be raised. Officials said the U.N. Security Council would discuss how to find the remaining funds, which will go towards paying for the security of the polls. The elections were due by June 30, but the government led by President Joseph Kabila have invoked the first of two possible six-month delays provided for in a 2003 peace accord, prompting riots in the capital Kinshasa. EU Development and Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said the donor's conference in Brussels would be the first test of the promises of support made to Africa at the Group of Eight meeting in Scotland last week. --More 2235 Local Time 1935 GMT
