SA and DRC to review bilateral agreements
Thématique :
congo RDC,
sud afrique
Sapa, 04/04/2008
South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have agreed to improve coordination to assure agreements between the two countries are implemented.
Both President Thabo Mbeki and his Congolese counterpart Joseph Kabila, who co-chaired the binational commission between the two countries on Thursday, said there were "challenges" hampering the implementation of bilateral agreements.
The two countries have over the past few years signed 27 bilateral trade, economic and social agreements, but both presidentss said there were problems in the implementation thereof.
"We'll pay particular attention of the implementation of agreements, we'll make sure that in both countries there are strong focal points that pay full time attention to do the implementation of the agreements," Mbeki said following the meeting at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.
A review of the agreements and their implementation would be done within three months by the various ministers in each country who are overseeing the agreements.
"It is very important because we have a whole range of agreements and commissions (working on those) and a very wide scope of work," Mbeki said.
There would be "strong focal points" in both countries, which would pay full time attention to the implementation of the agreements.
"(We can) fortunately also confirm the common commitment on both sides to respond to those challenges," Mbeki said earlier.
The success of the DRC was not only important for relations between the two countries but also to the rest of the continent, he said.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Kabila also highlighted the problems of implementation, saying the meeting between himself and Mbeki was aimed at achieving "results-orientated" programmes.
“The way that is paved will help identify a very realistic timetable for concrete project implementation and also help for better control," Kabila said through a translator.
Kabila said the focus would be on energy and electricity, water projects and basic infrastructure development.
The issues of defence, security, public administration, taxation and customs and business investment also received attention, he said.
South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have agreed to improve coordination to assure agreements between the two countries are implemented.
Both President Thabo Mbeki and his Congolese counterpart Joseph Kabila, who co-chaired the binational commission between the two countries on Thursday, said there were "challenges" hampering the implementation of bilateral agreements.
The two countries have over the past few years signed 27 bilateral trade, economic and social agreements, but both presidentss said there were problems in the implementation thereof.
"We'll pay particular attention of the implementation of agreements, we'll make sure that in both countries there are strong focal points that pay full time attention to do the implementation of the agreements," Mbeki said following the meeting at the Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.
A review of the agreements and their implementation would be done within three months by the various ministers in each country who are overseeing the agreements.
"It is very important because we have a whole range of agreements and commissions (working on those) and a very wide scope of work," Mbeki said.
There would be "strong focal points" in both countries, which would pay full time attention to the implementation of the agreements.
"(We can) fortunately also confirm the common commitment on both sides to respond to those challenges," Mbeki said earlier.
The success of the DRC was not only important for relations between the two countries but also to the rest of the continent, he said.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Kabila also highlighted the problems of implementation, saying the meeting between himself and Mbeki was aimed at achieving "results-orientated" programmes.
“The way that is paved will help identify a very realistic timetable for concrete project implementation and also help for better control," Kabila said through a translator.
Kabila said the focus would be on energy and electricity, water projects and basic infrastructure development.
The issues of defence, security, public administration, taxation and customs and business investment also received attention, he said.
