coupures 15 juin 07 (eng)

SA and DRC could drive Africa's growth June 14, 2007Parliament - South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo could become an engine of growth for Africa, visiting DRC president Joseph Kabila said on Thursday."The opportunities for growth that present themselves to us are huge," he told a joint sitting of Parliament."Let us seize these opportunities and let our two countries become the engine that will drive the economic development of the region and the rest of Africa."Kabila, who earlier held talks with President Thabo Mbeki at Tuynhuys, is on an official visit to South Africa.Speaking in French, he told MPs he wished co-operation between the two countries would be stepped up."Our two countries both operate in SADC, so they have to co-operate... in regional development plans... I would like to see this co-operation intensified."Kabila said his government was focusing on rehabilitating many facets of the DRC's economy.These included relaunching the agricultural sector, rebuilding the mining industry, and putting in place basic infrastructure such as roads, railways, ports and airports.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Kabila praises SA's efforts in DRC peace process
June 14, 2007, 18:45
Joseph Kabila Kabange, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) president, says South Africa and his country must be used as the engines for development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Kabila addressed a joint sitting in Parliament today, where he also thanked South Africa for its assistance during the peace process.It is Kabila's first State visit since taking up office almost seven months ago. Addressing the nations parliamentarians, Kabila said: "It is my hope that as a result of our continuous expressions of the commitment and determination displayed by our two countries as we forge even stronger bonds of African solidarity, that the world will soon bear witness to the emergence of a new political and economic order throughout SADC and the continent of Africa."Mbeki and his counterpart will take part in a bi-lateral business forum, which will bring business leaders together and having backed the tough DRC peace process, South Africa will help in this aspect. Kabila told the house his country was ready to take part in the global debates and join in the broader African struggles, and chanted: "Long live the Republic of South Africa, long live the Democratic Republic of Congo... may the Almighty God bless you all." With that, the house broke into song.From what it was during the Sun City Dialogue, when the talk was of war, the DRC has entered a new phase, and with private sector participation, the DRC will undoubtedly emerge as an influential regional player.
----------------------------------------------------------
Kabila: SA, DRC could be Africa's economic 'engine'


Cape Town, South Africa
14 June 2007 03:22
South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could become an engine of growth for Africa, visiting DRC President Joseph Kabila said on Thursday."The opportunities for growth that present themselves to us are huge," he told a joint sitting of South African Parliament."Let us seize these opportunities and let our two countries become the engine that will drive the economic development of the region and the rest of Africa."Kabila, who earlier held talks with President Thabo Mbeki at Tuynhuys, is on an official visit to South Africa.Speaking in French, he told MPs he wished cooperation between the two countries would be stepped up."Our two countries both operate in the Southern African Development Community, so they have to cooperate ... in regional development plans ... I would like to see this cooperation intensified."Kabila said his government was focusing on rehabilitating many facets of the DRC's economy.These included re-launching the agricultural sector, rebuilding the mining industry and putting in place basic infrastructure such as roads, railways, ports and airports."We are also focusing on access to employment, to water and electricity, and to housing, healthcare and education."Kabila noted the importance of free enterprise and "the social economy" of markets, as well as that of regional integration.The DRC is still recovering from the effects of the so-called Second Congo War, the world's bloodiest conflict since 1945.It claimed an estimated four million lives, most because of disease and starvation. The country remains plagued by outbreaks of violence.Kabila became his country's first democratically elected president in January this year, following elections the previous November.He is to attend an official dinner hosted by Mbeki in his honour on Thursday evening.On Friday, Kabila and Mbeki will take part in the DRC Business Forum, before Kabila leaves Cape Town for a visit to North West. -- Sapa
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kabila says stability returning to DRC, thanks Mbeki
by Mariette le Roux Thu Jun 14, 11:43 AM ET
CAPE TOWN (AFP) - DR Congo President Joseph Kabila told his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki on Thursday that stability had taken root in his country but left the fate of his rival Jean-Pierre Bemba up in the air.
On the first full day of a state visit here, Kabila said the upturn in fortunes would not have happened without the support of South Africa, a key player in the peace process which has thousands of troops deployed in the DRC.
Asked about the prospects of the mineral-rich nation attracting foreign investors, Kabila said the business climate should now be attractive.
"What is there to attract the private sector? First of all, the political stability, the democratic institutions that are in place," he said at a joint press conference alongside Mbeki.
"The advantages are there: peace, security, a justice system we are trying to overhaul."
South Africa played the leading role in the
Haut du formulaire
Democratic Republic of Congo' name=c1>SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3>
Bas du formulaire
Democratic Republic of Congo peace process, with Mbeki hosting the 2003 signing of a peace deal at the luxury Sun City casino resort northwest of Pretoria which drew a line under more than five years of fighting.
It also has around 2,000 troops serving in a 17,600-strong UN peacekeeping mission known as MONUC, which mainly consists of soldiers from African armies.
Asked about the fate of Bemba, a former vice president who has gone into exile in Portugal since losing the presidential elections, Kabila said that was out of his hands.
"It is not dependent (on me) to allow Senator Bemba to come back into the country or not ... That is not part of my job."
Bemba, who initially took refuge in the South African embassy, left Kinshasa in April under the protection of UN armoured vehicles, after clashes between the DRC army and his bodyguard which ended with the rout of Bemba's forces.
He has been in exile in Lisbon since then, ostensibly for medical treatment.
Kabila pointed out that prosecutors had requested the Senate to revoke Bemba's parliamentary immunity for him to answer charges related to state security following the clashes.
Bemba's fate was therefore in the hands of the Senate and the justice system, Kabila added.
DRC opposition politicians called earlier this week on Kabila to enable Bemba to return from abroad.
Mbeki said the matter was discussed at a recent summit of the Southern African Development Community and it was agreed the DRC with its new democratic institutions and government should "deal with it according to its own processes."
The two presidents also discussed measures to help the DRC back on its feet, with Mbeki assuring Kabila of continued support in such areas as infrastructure development, health provision, and boosting the agricultural sector.
Further details of assistance would be worked out at a binational commission meeting between the two countries in August.
"You have a stable democracy, what is the next thing to do is (tackle) the development challenges," Mbeki said.
Kabila is to meet a large local business delegation before leaving Cape Town on Friday, a fact Mbeki welcomed, saying "we want to inspire them (businesses) to be part of this process of rebuilding the Congo".
The DRC leader later told parliament that establishing good governance and reconstructing the country's ravaged infrastructure were his key priorities.
"We encourage free enterprise," Kabila said -- emphasising his government was working hard at creating an investor-friendly climate given the huge opportunities for growth.
"Let us seize those opportunities and let our two respective countries play the role of the engine that will relaunch the economic development and dynamism of the region and the rest of Africa," he said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congo-Kinshasa: UN Mission Deplores Murder of Radio Journalist

UN News Service (New York)
14 June 2007Posted to the web 14 June 2007
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) today condemned the killing of a journalist working for a UN-sponsored radio station with the largest Francophone audience in sub-Saharan Africa.
Serge Maheshe, 31, who had worked for Radio Okapi since 2003, was shot dead last night by two men on a street in Bukavu, in the far east of the DRC, as he and two friends were about to enter a UN-marked vehicle. His friends were not injured in the attack.
William Lacy Swing, the chief of the UN Organization Mission in the DRC (MONUC) and the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the country, deplored the murder and offered his condolences to Mr. Maheshe's family and colleagues.
Radio Okapi is a partnership between MONUC and the Hirondelle Foundation, a Swiss non-governmental organization (NGO), and in a joint statement the two bodies paid tribute to Mr. Maheshe, who leaves behind a wife and two children.
"The death in tragic circumstances of this young journalist, who contributed in an eminent manner to providing the population of the country and that of Bukavu in particular with the independent information to which the Congolese aspire, reminds us that the commitment to peace remains a daily challenge," the statement said.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------