UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday called for a violence-free election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the country prepares for its first multi-party election in 46 years.

Also calling on the Congolese to actively participate in the elections, Annan said at the UN Headquarters that violence must be avoided and the election result be accepted.

"I call on the Congolese people to take an active part in the vote, but we must avoid violence," Annan said.

He urged the Congolese to respect the vote's outcome and refrain from violence.

"In this kind of election, there will be winners and there will be losers," he said.

"We are in the process of aiding (the Congolese) to build a state, and I hope that they will take the opportunity to really conquer their differences through the vote rather than through other means," he said.

The Congolese will cast their ballots on Sunday in one of the first open vote since the central African country declared independence on 1960.

Source: Xinhua