Joint Communiqué on the occasion of the Extra Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers Meeting of the Tripartite Mechanism on Dialogue and Cooperation, Luanda, Angola
1. An Extra Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Tripartite Mechanism between the Republic of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of South Africa was held in Luanda, Angola on 13th July 2017.
2. The Extra Ordinary Meeting was attended by Hon Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti, Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Angola, Honourable, Maite Nkoana- Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa and Honourable, Leonard She Okitundu Lundula, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ministers' meeting, was preceded by a Meeting of the Senior Officials of the three countries which was also held on the 13th of July, 2017.
3. The Ministers recalled the Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2013 establishing the Tripartite Mechanism, which is aimed at consolidating peace, security, stability and economic cooperation.
4. The Ministers reviewed cooperation under the Mechanism. In this regard, the Ministers noted with great appreciation commendable work in the area of peace and security as evidenced by the successful completion of the first phase of training of army Recruits at the Kitona and Mura bases and training in the public order.
5. The Ministers noted that the security situation in the Eastern part of the DRC has substantially improved. Ministers commended the pivotal role played by the Republic of Angola within the context of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Republic of South Africa in the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) in the DRC.
6. The Ministers also used the occasion of the Extra Ordinary Session of the Tripartite Mechanism to review regional, continental and international issues. On regional issues, they noted with appreciation the ongoing work by the Southern African Development Community regarding regional integration. On continental issues, the Ministers expressed their commitment to African unity and integration within the framework of the Constitutive Act of the African Union and to the peaceful resolution of conflicts, as well as African renewal, specifically through the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
7. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Tripartite Mechanism while recognising its strategic significance.
8. The Ministers expressed their profound gratitude to HE, President Eduardo Dos Santos and his Government for hosting and supporting the Permanent Secretariat of the Tripartite Mechanism.
9. In conclusion, the Ministers agreed to convene the Fourth Council of Ministers meeting in Kinshasa on a date to be mutually determined through the diplomatic channel.
Done in Luanda, on 13 July 2017.
