President Thabo Mbeki has arrived in Rwanda ahead of the Commemoration Ceremony

President and Mrs Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs - Professor Dirk du Toit and senior government officials have arrived today - Wednesday, 7 April 2004 in Kigali ahead of the 10th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide.

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
7 April 2004