21 December 2001
The South African Government is pleased to announce that the South African Ambassador to Belgium and the European Communities, Ambassador Jerry Matjila has received an amount of Euro 9,5million {R100million} from the European Union as a contribution to the costs involved in the deployment of a South African Protection Unit in Burundi.
At the signing ceremony for the grant, at the European Commission in Brussels on 19 December 2001, Ambassador Matjila said that the prompt response of the European Union to the former President Nelson Mandela's request for the financial assistance for the Burundi deployment is a clear recognition of the need for peace and the constructive role that South Africa is playing in this process.
"We are confident, arising from the Donor Technical Update Meeting on the DRC held in Brussels on 20 December 2001 that the European Union and its Member States will be similarly forthcoming in their contribution to the costs involved ion South Africa's hosting on the Inter-Congolese Dialogue at the end of January 2002" said Ambassador Matjila.
Previously the Belgian Government made a contribution of US$5million {R60million} to the Burundi deployment. Former President Mandela personally thanked the Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt for this generous contribution during his visit to Brussels on 15 October 2001.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs