Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PRETORIA782
2008-04-14 14:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:
NO NEW FUNDING FOR SOUTH AFRICA/CONGO BINATIONAL
how-toVZCZCXRO7114 RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSA #0782 1051439 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 141439Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4149 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 2049 RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5524 RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 9748 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000782
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SF CG
SUBJECT: NO NEW FUNDING FOR SOUTH AFRICA/CONGO BINATIONAL
COMMISSION
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 000782
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SF CG
SUBJECT: NO NEW FUNDING FOR SOUTH AFRICA/CONGO BINATIONAL
COMMISSION
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
1. (U) Amid concerns that South Africa has not lived up to
its promises to fund projects agreed to during past
binational commissions, President Mbeki on 2-3 April hosted
Congolese President Kabila in Pretoria for the 5th South
Africa-DRC Bi-National Commission. Press reports note that
the two countries were to examine the status of cooperation
in political and diplomatic areas; defense and security
cooperation; economy, finance and infrastructure cooperation;
social and humanitarian affairs; and last, how current
projects support the priorities of the DRC and the
identification of future projects.
2. (U) Press reports note that President Mbeki opened the
meeting by admitting that bilateral agreements between South
Africa and the DRC were being hampered by "challenges with
regard to implementation." President Kabila also hinted that
the DRC is not satisfied, saying that this meeting would be
aimed at achieving "results-oriented" programmes to implement
agreements. During the previous binational meeting in August
2007, deals were signed that included rehabilitation of
Congo's airports, ports, and the Inga Dam and construction of
new railway lines. The health ministers also agreed to
collaborate in immunization programs and exchange of
expertise.
3. (C) Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo, SAG Special Envoy to the
Great Lakes, admitted to PolCouns and PolOff on 8 April that
implementation of the 2007 commitments has not gone as
smoothly or as fast as SAG had hoped, identifying lack of
funding and the two countries' inability to agree on special
projects as the two main challenges. Nevertheless, he said
the SAG remains committed to DRC's reconstruction, pointing
out that the DRC will be the only country the SAG meets with
on a bilateral basis twice a year. Despite the more frequent
contact, however, he acknowledged that the SAG did not commit
any new funding during this binational commission, instead
describing funding of agreed-to projects as "ongoing." The
SAG also hopes to attract trilateral funding (i.e., third
party) for "special development initiatives," which they
define as projects benefitting multiple countries such as the
Maputo corridor, according to Mamabolo.
BOST
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/C
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID SF CG
SUBJECT: NO NEW FUNDING FOR SOUTH AFRICA/CONGO BINATIONAL
COMMISSION
Classified By: Political Counselor Raymond Brown. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d
).
1. (U) Amid concerns that South Africa has not lived up to
its promises to fund projects agreed to during past
binational commissions, President Mbeki on 2-3 April hosted
Congolese President Kabila in Pretoria for the 5th South
Africa-DRC Bi-National Commission. Press reports note that
the two countries were to examine the status of cooperation
in political and diplomatic areas; defense and security
cooperation; economy, finance and infrastructure cooperation;
social and humanitarian affairs; and last, how current
projects support the priorities of the DRC and the
identification of future projects.
2. (U) Press reports note that President Mbeki opened the
meeting by admitting that bilateral agreements between South
Africa and the DRC were being hampered by "challenges with
regard to implementation." President Kabila also hinted that
the DRC is not satisfied, saying that this meeting would be
aimed at achieving "results-oriented" programmes to implement
agreements. During the previous binational meeting in August
2007, deals were signed that included rehabilitation of
Congo's airports, ports, and the Inga Dam and construction of
new railway lines. The health ministers also agreed to
collaborate in immunization programs and exchange of
expertise.
3. (C) Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo, SAG Special Envoy to the
Great Lakes, admitted to PolCouns and PolOff on 8 April that
implementation of the 2007 commitments has not gone as
smoothly or as fast as SAG had hoped, identifying lack of
funding and the two countries' inability to agree on special
projects as the two main challenges. Nevertheless, he said
the SAG remains committed to DRC's reconstruction, pointing
out that the DRC will be the only country the SAG meets with
on a bilateral basis twice a year. Despite the more frequent
contact, however, he acknowledged that the SAG did not commit
any new funding during this binational commission, instead
describing funding of agreed-to projects as "ongoing." The
SAG also hopes to attract trilateral funding (i.e., third
party) for "special development initiatives," which they
define as projects benefitting multiple countries such as the
Maputo corridor, according to Mamabolo.
BOST