DRC
20 August 2007
Pretoria: South African President Thabo Mbeki will today Monday, 20 August
2007 depart for Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo where he will lead a
high level South African Ministerial delegation to the South Africa�Democratic
Republic of Congo Bi-national Commission (SA-DRC BNC) scheduled for Tuesday, 21
August 2007. President Mbeki will co-chair this session together with his
counterpart President Joseph Kabila.
President Mbeki's delegation is expected to include Ministers Dr Nkosazana
Dlamini Zuma, Mosiuoa Lekota, Jeff Radebe, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Thoko
Didiza, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, Charles Nqakula, Bridgette Mabandla,
Naledi Pandor, Mandisi Mpahlwa, Buyelwa Sonjica, Lulama Xingwana and Deputy
Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba.
Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, supported by Director-General Dr
Ayanda Ntsaluba co-chaired with her counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs
and International Co-operation Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi, the Ministerial meeting
of the BNC from Sunday to Monday, 19 to 20 August 2007.
South Africa's participation in the fourth session of the South Africa-DRC
BNC comes within the context of its commitment to consolidate relations with
the DRC and to support the political, economic reconstruction and nation
building processes in the country.
The fourth session of the South Africa-DRC Bi-national Commission is
expected to evaluate:
* the status of Politics and Diplomacy co-operation includes the capacity
building project, the public service census project, population and immigration
matters
* defence and security co-operation including security sector reform
projects
* economy, finance and infrastructure co-operation includes spatial development
initiatives, mining, geology and metallurgy, energy, civil aviation, technical
assistance in financial administration and agriculture
* social and humanitarian affairs which includes co-operation in the fields of
education, and humanitarian and health projects
* evaluate how current projects support the development priorities of the DRC
and the identification of possible additional projects to this effect.
South Africa's assistance to the DRC is informed by its vision of an
'African Renaissance' of peace, stability and security and sustained renewal,
growth and socio-economic development for the African Continent. South Africa
is committed to a strategy for post conflict reconstruction and development in
the DRC that is aligned with that of the African Union and the New Partnership
for Africa's Development (Nepad). South Africa's assistance to the DRC is
broadly based on 3 key areas as decided by Cabinet, which are: the Security
Sector Reform (SSR), Institutional capacity building and Economic
development.
President Mbeki is expected to return to South Africa on Wednesday, 22
August 2007 ahead of his discussions with Sonia Gandhi, the President of the
Indian National Congress and the leader of the ruling Indian Congress Alliance
later the same day in Cape Town.
For further information, please contact:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
20 August 2007
