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Statement on the Official Launching
of the South Africa-Democratic Republic of Congo Bi-national
Commission in Kinshasa, DRC from 30 to 31 August 2004
At the invitation of the President of the Democratic
Republic of Congo, HE Mr Joseph Kabila, the President
of the Republic of South Africa, HE Mr Thabo Mbeki,
to be accompanied by HE Dr NC Dlamini Zuma, the Minister
of Foreign and other Ministers of the South African
Government as well as a delegation of senior officials,
will visit the DRC to engage their counterparts on matters
related to the Transition and to attend the official
launching of the South Africa-Democratic Republic of
Congo Bi-national Commission (BNC), to be held in Kinshasa,
DRC, from 30 - 31 August 2004.
On Monday, 30 August the two delegations will participate
in various Commissions so as to engage in discussions
on issues pertaining to the Transition in the DRC. The
South Africa-Democratic Republic of Congo Bi-national
Commission will be officially launched on Tuesday, 31
August 2004 in Kinshasa, co-chaired by HE Mr Thabo Mbeki,
President of the Republic of South Africa and HE Mr
Joseph Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic
of Congo. It will be recalled that during the State
Visit by His Excellency President TM Mbeki to the Democratic
Republic of Congo on 13 and 14 January 2004, the two
Heads of State signed a General Co-operation Agreement
which laid the foundation for future co-operation between
the two countries and provided for the establishment
of a Bi-national Commission.
The official launching of the BNC is also taking place
subsequent to the meeting of Government Ministers of
the two countries in Pretoria on 15 to 18 March 2004
during which the terms of a number of co-operation agreements
were finalised. It was furthermore agreed that these
agreements, after having gone through the required legal
processes of both countries, would be submitted for
signature on the occasion of the official launching
of the South Africa-Democratic Republic of Congo Bi-national
Commission. It is consequently expected that these agreements
will be signed during the current session of the SA-DRC
Bi-national Commission.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082 990 4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
29 August 2004
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