|
President Thabo Mbeki to Depart South
Africa for Rwanda
President Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will tomorrow - Wednesday,
7 April 2004 - depart for Rwanda to attend the 10th
Anniversary Commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide
in Kigali.
The South African delegation will participate in the
Commemoration service conscious and aware of the unfortunate
experiences of inhumanity that the people of Rwanda
and South Africa went through at the hands of unjust
and repressive regimes, the political tragedies our
people suffered and which resulted in millions of lives
being lost and the reconstruction challenges which face
both our countries.
During his state visit to Rwanda in 2000, President
Thabo Mbeki cemented ties of friendship and solidarity
with the people of Rwanda when he noted, "We feel
that the pain you suffered has been our pain as well.
The progress you are making and the progress you must
make to overcome a difficult past will benefit us as
well".
"We hope that out of the tragedy of this nation,
will emerge an outcome that will be a lesson to the
rest of humanity about how to use a catastrophe such
as this one to bring about reconciliation, unity, stability
and development"
Indeed it is the hope of the South African government
that the international community will draw a lesson
on the need to respond timeously and expeditiously to
challenges facing humanity including tragedies as the
one faced by the people of Rwanda.
Yet as Africans we note as did President Mbeki that,
"the development we desire so much for all African
people can only happen when we end conflicts and when
we have peace permeating the entirety of our continent.
And that a climate of sustained and enduring peace is
a necessity, that stability coupled with strong democracies
is a requirement, for the African continent to prosper
and provide a better life for all her people".
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
6 April 2004
|
