West and Central Africa
Central Africa
The current most important issues with regard to
the Central African Region are conflict resolution,
promotion of good governance, peace and stability
as well as economic reconstruction and development.
In this regard, the specific challenges facing South
Africa are to assist in the resolution of the conflict
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through
the comprehensive implementation of the Lusaka Cease-fire
Agreement.
In support of this, four senior officials of the
South African Government form part of the Third
Party Verification Mechanism (TPVM), which acts
as the Secretariat for the Third Party, created
by the Pretoria Agreement between Rwanda and the
DRC. This agreement makes provision for the withdrawal
of Rwandan troops from the territory of the DRC
and the dismantling of ex-FAR and Interahamwe forces
in the DRC.
South Africa has committed itself to participate
in the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the
DRC (MONUC). At this stage, 98 Technical Specialists
of the South African National Defence Force and
48 Military Police are deployed in the DRC. South
Africa has also hosted the Inter-Congolese Dialogue
at Sun City where all the role-players in the DRC
participated in negotiations on a new political
dispensation for their country.
On 16 December 2002, with South Africa as a mediator
together with a Special Representative of the United
Nations Secretary General, all parties to the Inter-Congolese
dialogue signed a Global and Inclusive Agreement
on the Transition in the Democratic Republic of
Congo.
In addition to the above, other challenges include
the promotion of the values of democracy and good
governance and the implementation of sound stable
economic policies. The reconstruction and development
of the economy and infrastructure of the DRC, once
the conflict has been resolved, will play a central
role in South Africa’s policy in the Region.
Positive developments in the DRC will have a similar
influence on the Region. Stability in the DRC/Great
Lakes Region will also greatly enhance the potential
for the implementation of NEPAD programmes.
South Africa also supports the promotion of peace
and stability in Central African Republic and Republic
of Congo (Brazzaville).
The other main priorities for South Africa are
the further development and consolidation of its
trade and economic relations with the countries
of the region.
West Africa
The principal challenges facing the West African
sub-region are those of conflict management, good
governance and democracy and sustainable economic
and social development. In terms of conflict management,
the crisis in the Mano River Union (Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea) remains of concern. The sub-region
also experiences a secessionist conflict in the
southern Senegalese province of Casamance, as well
as an international territorial dispute, namely
the dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the
Bakassi peninsula. The Mano River Union region,
which has not yet recovered from the effects of
long years of conflict, continues to see significant
levels of displaced populations from the three states.
The ECOWAS sub-region, supported by the OAU, is
leading efforts to find solutions to conflict issues.
South Africa endorses these ECOWAS efforts and continues
to play a key role in addressing the issue of "conflict
diamonds", through the Kimberley process, which
seeks to end the use of illicit diamonds fuelling
conflict, particularly in relation to Sierra Leone
and Liberia.
In terms of democracy and good governance, South
Africa actively supports initiatives aimed at promoting
these ideals in West Africa and welcomes the successful
democratic elections held in Mali and Sierra Leone
during the month of May 2002. South Africa also
continues to work closely with West African partners
such as Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and Mali in promoting
the aims and objectives of the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The main economic
and social development challenge remains poverty
and lack of development in the sub-region. In this
regard, South Africa is actively involved in the
search for solutions to these problems, inter alia
within the context of the vision of the African
Renaissance and the objectives of NEPAD. There continues
to be a steady increase in investments and bilateral
trade with the region as well as an impetus towards
having more structured official relationships with
key West African state
