Angola, South Africa to train Congolese soldiers
By XINHUA | Saturday, August 24 2013 at 16:42
South African President Jacob Zuma (left), Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos (centre) and DRC President Joseph Kabila Kabanga speak during a meeting at the presidential palace in Luanda, on August 23, 2013. PHOTO | AFP
Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and South Africa have signed a memorandum to work together to train Congolese soldiers and police officers.
The agreement was signed on Friday by Angolan Foreign Minister George Rebelo Pinto Chicoti, his counterpart from South Africa Maite Mashabane and Raymond Tshibanda from DR Congo.
DRC President Joseph Kabila said the deal is intended to boost defence and security in his country, while reinforcing cooperation among the three countries within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) bloc.
The agreement is designed to help consolidate peace in the troubled Great Lakes region and safeguard favourable conditions for the implementation of the peace framework signed on February 23 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The signing was witnessed by Angolan President Jose Educardo dos Santos, his visiting counterpart from South Africa Jacob Zuma and President Kabila, who were holding a tripartite summit in the Angolan capital.
The summit followed the meeting held on June 12 in the Angolan capital after the three countries set up a cooperation mechanism in March.
The accord also covers economic issues concerning the ports of Lobito (Angola), Durban (South Africa) and the Inga hydroelectric dam in DR Congo, according to sources close to the meeting.
President Jacob Zuma arrived in Luanda on Thursday for consultations with Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila.
The consultation is a follow-up to a meeting held by the three presidents in Luanda in March.
The three are expected to discuss a range of issues relating to peace and stability in the region, particularly the current peace efforts in the DRC.
Zuma is being accompanied on his trip by International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Energy Minister Ben Martins, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Lechesa Tsenoli.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe has been appointed as acting President until Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe returns from Harare, where he attended Thursday's inauguration of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugage.
- SAnews.gov.za
SouthAfrica.info (Johannesburg)
Congo-Kinshasa: Zuma in Angola for Talks On DRC
23 August 2013President Jacob Zuma arrived in Luanda on Thursday for consultations with Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila.
The consultation is a follow-up to a meeting held by the three presidents in Luanda in March.
The three are expected to discuss a range of issues relating to peace and stability in the region, particularly the current peace efforts in the DRC.
Zuma is being accompanied on his trip by International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Energy Minister Ben Martins, and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Lechesa Tsenoli.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe has been appointed as acting President until Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe returns from Harare, where he attended Thursday's inauguration of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugage.
- SAnews.gov.za
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