Opening remarks by His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma, on the occasion of the 9th Session of the South Africa-DRC Binational Commission
Your Excellency President Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Your Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon;
Honourable Ministers from both the government of the Republic of South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Excellencies Ambassadors,
Senior Officials.
Thank you, Mr President, for your kind welcoming remarks.
I would like to thank you and your Government for the exceptional hospitality extended to us since our arrival in this beautiful City of Kinshasa.
It was on the 14th of January 2004 that our two nations formally created a structured bilateral relationship through the signing of the important General Cooperation Agreement. That Agreement set in motion a dynamic and strategic cooperation between our sister countries.
We meet today in a substantially changed DRC. This is not the DRC of 2004. The DRC of 2004 was emerging from a prolonged conflict and civil strife. It was the DRC that required support and solidarity.
In solidarity with the people of the DRC, South Africa then committed and pledged to accompany and walk with the Government and the people of this great nation. A decade later, we can look back with deserved pride considering the noticeable achievements that we have made.
We have worked together with the people of the DRC, in particular towards facilitating democracy, peace, security and stability in the DRC. We see in the Congo an awakened giant fully capable of driving the African continent to greater prosperity and growth.
Of course, at the very heart of our shared goals, is the continued development of our two countries, and our peoples, towards the eradication of poverty, and the improvement of the lives of our peoples, the regions we occupy, and ultimately the continent we call home.
Your Excellency and ladies and gentlemen,
We will continue to work alongside the Government of the DRC to bring sustained peace that will allow this country to function without any difficulties and continue to deliver to its citizens.
Having won, at great cost, our respective democracies, we must not waver in continuing to consolidate this progress.
Whilst we might be at different phases in our development trajectories, our two great nations have built, and continue to build, nations based on the rule of law, respect for justice and human rights, and the entrenchment of these principles of constitutional democracy.
Your Excellency,
Africa's time is now, and our two Republics must together play their rightful roles in pursuit of the continental dreams as espoused in Agenda 2063. The time has come for us as a continent to unlock the potential of our two countries through sustainable management and development of our God's given natural endowments.
It is time for strategic partnerships to drive the continental development trajectory. It is time to identify critical economic projects that have the potential to put us on the road to industrialisation and economic prosperity of our countries and peoples.
Your Excellency,
The life-changing and game-changing projects like the Grand Inga Hydro Power Project fit in neatly in this category. South Africa is honoured by the trust that our brothers and sisters of the DRC have placed in us, as a partner who will help realise the successful completion of this Project.
This project will help turn on the switch to a brighter future for Congo, and the continent.
Your Excellency,
Let me congratulate you, your Government and people of the DRC on achieving political and security stability. We encourage you and your Government to continue this path. We equally pledge our continued support and solidarity.
As we start the second decade of our BNC, we need to identify key areas of cooperation which will be pursued moving forward.
Key among those shall be the consolidation of peace and stability, institution building and the identification and implementation of economic projects, including the implementation of the Grand Inga as we need electricity for our development.
Your Excellency,
Allow me to renew to the people of the DRC, the warm regards of their brothers and sisters in South Africa and to convey again the spirit cooperation that underpins our strategic partnership.
I thank you!
