Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
20 June 2001
The first meeting of the Joint Commission of Co-operation between South Africa and Rwanda will take place in South Africa on 22 June 2001, under the chairpersonship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The Joint Commission of Co-operation was created when Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma signed the General Agreement on Bilateral Co-operation in Kigali on 17 December 1999. The Agreement makes provision for its establishment and provides for the formal framework of concrete bilateral co-operation over a wide range of areas, some of which formal bilateral agreements that South African and Rwanda have already been concluded, namely:
a. Agreement on Institutional Co-operation in the Field of Ariculture and Livestock;
b. Agreement on Co-operation in Education; and
c. Agreement for the Reciprocal Promotion and Protection of Ivestments
It will be recalled that President Mbeki officially visited Rwanda on 18 and 19 October 2000, in the course of which, the abovementioned three agreements were signed. President Kagame of Rwanda further paid a working visit to SA from 16 to 18 March 2001 in the course of which, the two Heads of State identified and discussed further co-operation between the two countries.
The SA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Dlamini Zuma, has now, in consultation with her Rwandan counterpart, decided that the first session of the South Africa-Rwanda Joint Commission of Co-operation will be held in Pretoria on 22 June 2001.
Preceding the session of the Joint Commission, will be a two-meeting of senior officials, technical and scientific experts of the technical departments and institutions of both South Africa and Rwanda, starting from 20 to 22 June 2001, then followed by a plenary session and report-back regarding the progress in the different areas of co-operation.
The following government departments and institutions will be involved:
Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Department of Health
SA Police Service
Department of Agriculture
Department of Transport
Department of Communication
Department of Trade & Industry
Department of Defence
Department of Public Enterprises
SA Revenue Service
Department of Education
Agricultural Research Council - Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute
A Joint Press Conference will be held, followed by the issuing of a communiqué at the conclusion of Joint Commission.
For more information, please contact Dumisani Rasheleng Office No. {012} 351 0067 / 0128 Cell No. 083 709 8166