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Minister Dlamini Zuma to Co-chair 4th South Africa - Rwanda
Joint Commission of Co-operation Pretoria - South African Foreign Minister
Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will depart for Kigali, Rwanda on Tuesday 29 August
2006 where she will, together with her counterpart Rwandan Foreign Minister Dr
Charles Murigande co-chair the 4th session of the South Africa - Rwanda Joint
Commission of Co-operation (JCC) scheduled from Tuesday - Wednesday, 29-30 August
2006. Minister Dlamini Zuma's participation in this session of the JCC comes
within the context of South Africa's commitment to consolidate the African agenda
through, among others, the strengthening of bilateral relations with African countries
and promoting post-conflict reconstruction and development initiatives. In
this regard, issues on the agenda for discussions between Foreign Ministers Dr
Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Dr Charles Murigande are expected to include among
others: - The status of political and economic bilateral relations
- Review
of progress in the work of the JCC since its establishment in 2001;
- Developments
in the East Africa and SADC regions;
- Peace building and conflict resolution
in Africa with regard to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Côte
d'Ivoire;
- Lessons from Rwanda's accession to the African Peer Review Mechanism
since South Africa is currently under review;
- The implementation of NEPAD;
and
- Other issues of mutual interest.
The JCC consists of the
following Working Groups from National Departments: Foreign Affairs, SAMDI, Water
Affairs and Forestry, SA Revenue Services, Correctional Services, Environmental
Affairs and Tourism, Science and Technology, Defence, Health, Transport, Safety
and Security, SA Reserve Bank, Home Affairs, Trade and Industry, Public Service
and Administration, Education, Agriculture, Land Affairs, Minerals and Energy,
Public Enterprises, Sports and Recreation and the City of Tshwane. Since
the inauguration of the JCC in Pretoria on 22 June 2001, significant progress
has been recorded by the various Working Groups to develop and implement post-reconstruction
programmes in Rwanda to build capacity in critical areas. Substantial progress
was made in developing and finalising Memoranda of Understanding (MoU's) in key
priority areas for signature before and during the Second Plenary Session of the
JCC held in Rwanda, Kigali in December 2002. The establishment of a strategic
partnership between South Africa and Rwanda in promoting the objectives of the
AU and the African Development Agenda within the framework of the JCC and NEPAD,
is underscored by a high-level engagement between South Africa and Rwandan public
and private sector stakeholders. Minister Dlamini Zuma will depart from
Rwanda for Côte d'Ivoire on Friday 1 September 2006 to attend the 10th session
of the International Working Group on Côte d'Ivoire. Economic Bilateral
Relations Rwanda Trade Relations with South Africa South
African imports from Rwanda: R 6,425 000 million (2005)
South African
exports to Rwanda: R 70,156 million (2005) Source: DTI (2006) A
Memorandum of Understanding on Economic Co-operation is expected to be signed
by Rwanda and South Africa at the JCC. The South African Minister of Trade and
Industry, Minister Mandisi Mphahlwa is expected to sign this MoU on behalf of
South Africa. An MoU in the field of Sports and Recreation is also expected to
be signed. The South African Minister of Home Affairs, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
will also be part of the South African delegation travelling to Rwanda for the
4th Session of the SA/Rwanda JCC. Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853 Department
of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001 27 August
2006
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