Lessons learnt by South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region regarding continuing rebel wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR ORAL REPLY
QUESTION NO: 28 (CW55E)
PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO: 3-2013 OF 1 MARCH 2013
MR F MLENZANA (COPE) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:
- Whether the continuing rebel wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo will be classified as a civil war; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region has learnt any lessons regarding the (a) loss of lives, (b) resources and (c) internationally uncoordinated national policies of the DRC in respect of the political and security direction of the government of the DRC and its impact in the region;
- whether the security agreements of the SADC are being violated by sovereign countries from the time South Africa chaired this body; if not, what is the position in this regards; if so, what are the relevant details?
REPLY:
- No. In all documentation by the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the security instability in the DRC is not classified as a civil war.
- South Africa, SADC, AU and the international community are gravely concerned about the continued security instability in the DRC. As a result the situation in the DRC remains on the agenda of SADC and the international community. Furthermore, a Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region is in place to help the peoples of the DRC out of the situation they are in. The Framework aims at contributing to address the underlying causes of the conflict in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region.
- SADC, guided by its Protocol for Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation and the SADC Mutual Defence Pact, is participating in international efforts to quell the continued conflict experienced by the DRC. As the DRC is a member of SADC, SADC will participate in the deployment of the Neutral Intervention Force (NIF).
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