APA-Pretoria (South Africa) President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa would continue to support efforts to restore peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where milita groups have destabilised killed and displaced thousands of people for decades.
Speaking during the 12th Session of the DRC-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in the DRC capital Kinshasa on Thursday, Ramaphosa said the conflict in eastern DRC was receiving undivided attention from both the African Union and regional bodies like the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). DRC is a member of both SADC and EAC.
“The fighting in eastern DRC is a conflict that’s being processed and addressed by our regional organisations as well as by the African Union,” Ramaphosa said.
There are currently 38 agreements between South Africa and the DRC spanning agriculture, cooperative governance, defence, diplomatic cooperation, energy, health, humanitarian support, immigration, police, public service and administration, trade and investment, and transport.
Among the agreements is commitment by the two countries to jointly develop the Grand Inga Hydropower Station which has potential to produce more than 40,000 megawatts of hydropower from the Congo River.
Ramaphosa and his DRC counterpart Felix Tshisekedi directed the relevant ministers to conclude the review of these legal instruments by the end of October 2023 and accelerate the implementation of all agreements.
NM/jn/APA