UGANDA/DRC: MUSEVENI-KABILA MEETING COMMUNIQUE

UNCLAS KAMPALA 000253 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS TO USAID AND OFDA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL UG SU CG SUBJECT: UGANDA/DRC: MUSEVENI-KABILA MEETING COMMUNIQUE ¶1. Summary: The following is the verbatim English text of the communique from the meeting between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Congolese President Joseph Kabila on March 4, 2008 on the Ugandan-Democratic Republic of Congo border at Kasese. End Summary. ¶2. At the invitation of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, to H.E. Joseph Kabila Kabange, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two Presidents met at the common border between Uganda and the DRC on March 4, 2009. ¶3. President Kabila Kabange was accompanied by Minister of International and Regional Cooperation, Raymond Tshibanda; Minister of Hydrocarbon, Rene Isekemanga Nkeka; Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexis Thambwe Mwamba;, Minister of Defense, Charles Mwando Nsimba; Minister of Energy, Laurent Muzangiza; Minister of Public Works, Infrastructure and Reconstruction, Pierre Lumbi and senior government officials. ¶4. President Museveni was accompanied by Minister of Lands and Urban Development, Daniel Omara Atubo; Minister of Defense, Crispus Kiyonga; Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Hilary Onek; Minister of State for Energy, Simon D'Ujanga; Minister of State for Urban Development, Urban Tibamanya; Minister of Internal Affairs, Matiya Kasaija and senior government officials. ¶5. The two heads of State held a tete-a-tete meeting on issues of mutual interest and concern. They reviewed the progress of implementation of the Ngurdoto-Tanzania Agreement (September 2007) and the decisions of the Munyonyo - Kampala (December 2007) and Dar es Salaam (May 2008) meetings. They agree to expedite the implementation of their decisions. ¶6. The two presidents reiterated their determination to further strengthen cooperation between the two counties in all fields within the general framework of a Joint Permanent Commission. ¶7. They exchanged views on consolidation of relations between the two countries and in particular through cooperation in the areas of security, oil and gas development and exploitation, management of trans-boundary resources, regularization of cross border trade in minerals and power, development of cross border infrastructure, settlement and repatriation of refugees and upgrading and enhancing diplomatic representation by accrediting the Ambassadors to their respective embassies. ¶8. The two Heads of State underscored the need to maintain peace, security and stability in the Great Lakes Region in accordance with the objectives and principles of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region. ¶9. The Presidents further agreed to hold another meeting in the near future on a date to be determined through diplomatic channels. ¶10. At the end of their meeting, President Kabila Kabange and President Museveni expressed satisfaction with their meeting as expressed in this joint Communique. BROWNING