Joint Communique on the Third Plenary Session of the South Africa-Rwanda Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC), Pretoria 27 July 2004

1. The Third Plenary Session of the South Africa-Rwanda Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) was held in Pretoria, South Africa on Tuesday, 27 July 2004.

2. The South African and Rwandan delegations were led respectively, by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Dr NC Dlamini Zuma and Dr C Murigande.

3. The Ministers reviewed progress recorded by the individual Working Groups in developing and implementing programmes and action plans within the framework of the JCC, since the Second Session of the Forum in Kigali on 5 December 2002.

4. The Ministers acknowledged that the positive results reflect the intrinsic value of the JCC in providing the necessary co-ordinating framework to oversee and guide the effective management of relations between South Africa and Rwanda.

5. The delegations noted with appreciation the consolidation and strengthening of the strategic partnership between the two governments, based on a common vision of a continent that is peaceful, democratic, prosperous, non-racial, non-sexist and united, and which contributes to a world order that is just and equitable.

6. The delegations recognised the importance of establishing effective and vibrant Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) at regional and continental levels, in support of AU and NEPAD priority programmes, towards effectively addressing systemic issues of poverty alleviation and underdevelopment.

7. The delegations recognised the importance of human resources development in such critical areas as information and communications technology; education and training; leadership and management; research and development; health and agriculture, towards achieving sustainable economic development in the continent.

8. The delegations welcomed the commitment and resolve by the Working Groups to raise the current level and frequency of meetings, as well as to seek new and innovative sources of funding in support of collorary projects.

9. The parties acknowledged that deepening economic and trade relations between the two countries have been further strengthened by negotiations between the Governments of the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Rwanda on a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding on Economic, Trade and Investment Co-operation. Both delegations welcomed the indication that the MOU would be ready for signature after the 3rd Session of the JCC.

10. The delegations welcomed the intense and vibrant partnership that has developed between South African and Rwandan institutions of higher learning under an Agreement between the Governments of South Africa and Rwanda on Cooperation in Education.

11. The delegations recognised the need to consolidate a sustainable partnership covering the areas of hospital capacity building; specialised medical treatments; post-graduate medical education; post-graduate pharmaceutical training; exchange of health experts; pharmaceutical; HIV/AIDS; health financing; disease surveillance and epidemiolegy; research and food technology.

12. The delegations welcomed the signing of an Agreement on Defence in the areas of training, capacity building and transformation, as a positive step in the process of consolidating co-operation between the defence and security establishments of both counties.

13. The delegations recognised the excellent progress recorded in the area of human resources development and specialised training programmes between the respective police services.

14. The delegations commended the initiative shown by both police services in establishing an innovative trilateral co-operation arrangement with the Swedish National Police Board, in the priority areas of crime investigation, accountability as well as management and community policing.

15. The parties noted the successful conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Technical Co-operation between the Government of the Republic of South Africa and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda for the funding of the Cuban Medical Brigade.

16. The parties strongly endorsed the involvement of South African parastatals as well as public and private sector stakeholders in establishing strategic partnerships with Rwandan stakeholders towards developing human resources and institutional capacity building, infrastructure development and information and communication management systems in key sectors.

17. The parties welcomed the participation of the City of Kigali and the City of Tshwane in the deliberations of the JCC in support of priority government objectives and noted the importance of strong partnerships between South African and Rwandan stakeholders, in the area of local government, as demonstrated by the signing of a twinning agreement between the Cities of Tshwane and Kigali.

18. The parties welcomed the undertaking and commitment to regularly review progress made in the individual Working Groups, in order to ensure sustainable delivery on programmes and plans of action.