UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
4 Mar
2009
Press Review
Today's local press devotes its comments to the South African president's visit to the DRC and the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for the DRC's speech to the two chambers of deputies.
« Thabo Mbeki (is) confident about a successful DRC transition», headlines Le Phare. « Having come to assess the DRC transition and the preparations for the elections, Thabo Mbeki held talks with President Joseph Kabila and each of the four Vice-Presidents separately. It emerges from his talks with Azarias Ruberwa, the Vice-President for the Political, Defence and Security Commission that the transition's process has made lot of progress» says the paper. The paper quotes Mr. Ruberwa, after his talks with Mr. Mbeki, as declaring «South Africa has pledged a financial contribution for the organization of the elections due to end the transition as part of the agreement on cooperation between the two countries to be signed shortly. »
« South Africa would contribute the necessary expertise», stresses Le Potentiel, alluding to the South African Trade Minister, Alec Erwin's declaration after meeting with the Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba: « There will be more South African investors in the DRC during the coming years. »
« Thabo Mbeki's speech to the Parliament this Wednesday will be focused on the reinforcement of south African investments in the DRC», announces L'Observateur. « We have a lot to learn from South Africa», says the paper in its editorial. « There is no doubt, the paper writes, that South African authorities have realized that an emerging economic power alone is not enough, they should clear their way into the African markets where there are several thieves even the more powerful ones. » According to L'Avenir: « After freeing the DR Congo from war and saving it from balkanized, DRC cannot do without South Africa for its successful economic battle. »
South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived Tuesday in Kinshasa for a 48-hour official visit, leading « an important delegation comprised seven ministers and an impressive number of businessmen from South Africa'All along the way, in Masina district (the most populous districts in Kinshasa), the Congolese people's guest certainly cast his eyes over the banners waved by the huge crowd that turned up to welcome him some of whom calling on him to closely watch on the Congolese political class in order to bring them to comply with the elections calendar», recalls Le Phare.
Simultaneously, at the transitional Parliament, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, William Swing, was addressing the members of the parliament, more particularly the Commission for the External Relations, Defence and Security in the presence of the Belgian delegation currently visiting the DRC. Mr. Swing, quoted by Le Phare, pointed out « the elections due to end the transitional period could be held in 2005 as provided by the All-inclusive Agreement and the Constitution. »
MONUC chief highlighted that « political will is yet to be demonstrated, since most of the laws on the organization of the polls have not yet been voted. » According to him: « The issue on the refugees and the displaced, the presence of the foreign armed groups on the Congolese territory and the demobilization of the local armed groups are the so many obstacles to overcome for the holding of successful elections' »
« South Africa would contribute the necessary expertise», stresses Le Potentiel, alluding to the South African Trade Minister, Alec Erwin's declaration after meeting with the Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba: « There will be more South African investors in the DRC during the coming years. »
« Thabo Mbeki's speech to the Parliament this Wednesday will be focused on the reinforcement of south African investments in the DRC», announces L'Observateur. « We have a lot to learn from South Africa», says the paper in its editorial. « There is no doubt, the paper writes, that South African authorities have realized that an emerging economic power alone is not enough, they should clear their way into the African markets where there are several thieves even the more powerful ones. » According to L'Avenir: « After freeing the DR Congo from war and saving it from balkanized, DRC cannot do without South Africa for its successful economic battle. »
South African President Thabo Mbeki arrived Tuesday in Kinshasa for a 48-hour official visit, leading « an important delegation comprised seven ministers and an impressive number of businessmen from South Africa'All along the way, in Masina district (the most populous districts in Kinshasa), the Congolese people's guest certainly cast his eyes over the banners waved by the huge crowd that turned up to welcome him some of whom calling on him to closely watch on the Congolese political class in order to bring them to comply with the elections calendar», recalls Le Phare.
Simultaneously, at the transitional Parliament, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, William Swing, was addressing the members of the parliament, more particularly the Commission for the External Relations, Defence and Security in the presence of the Belgian delegation currently visiting the DRC. Mr. Swing, quoted by Le Phare, pointed out « the elections due to end the transitional period could be held in 2005 as provided by the All-inclusive Agreement and the Constitution. »
MONUC chief highlighted that « political will is yet to be demonstrated, since most of the laws on the organization of the polls have not yet been voted. » According to him: « The issue on the refugees and the displaced, the presence of the foreign armed groups on the Congolese territory and the demobilization of the local armed groups are the so many obstacles to overcome for the holding of successful elections' »
