UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
6 Mar
2009
Press Review
South African President's visit to the DRC holds the headlines in most of today's local papers in Kinshasa.
The South African President, Thabo Mbeki, who is due to arrive in Kinshasa today, will be accompanied by an important delegation comprised of 7 Ministers and several experts, says LE PALMARES, adding that a South African security team including ''45 police officers and an armoured jeep'' arrived in Kinshasa yesterday. The ''important security disposition is an indication that South Africans are aware of the risky aspect of their President's visit to Kinshasa''.
Referring to the objective of the South African President's visit to the DRC, L'OBSERVATEUR declares that Thabo Mbeki is in Kinshasa to ''relaunch bilateral cooperation between both countries''. The paper recalls that South Africa and the DRC are bound by several agreements, notably in the areas of defence and military cooperation. ''Besides the political aspect, bilateral cooperation agreements will be at the centre of talks between presidents Thabo Mbeki and Joseph Kabila'', says the paper, further indicating that ''the issue of another Inter Congolese talks will not be included in the agenda''.
LA REFERENCE PLUS is apparently of the same view and titles Thabo Mbeki is not coming to give support to Ruberwa's joke, alluding to Vice-president Azarias Ruberwa's appeal for a renegotiation of the All-inclusive Agreement, which President Joseph Kabila referred to as a ''joke''. The paper considers that ''if the new political negotiations should be dismissed, Thabo Mbeki's visit would then be placed in the context of the DRC-South Africa cooperation''.
Highlighting that President Thabo Mbeki is visiting the DRC amidst a major crisis caused by the 'Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratique' following its decision to suspend its participation in the transition institutions, L'AVENIR indicates that ''the Congolese political stakeholders are impatiently awaiting the South African President''. The paper advises the political stakeholders against ''confusing Thabo Mbeki'' and urges them to show ''solidarity and maturity as they did when they gave a flat refusal to Mr. Ruberwa's demand'' for the renegotiation of the All-inclusive Agreement. The paper further urges the Congolese political stakeholders not to ''let themselves diverted before Thabo Mbeki, one of the main architects of the All-inclusive Agreement''.
The headlines in LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES read: Kabila and Ruberwa are fighting over Thabo Mbeki, alluding to the confusion prevailing between the two members of the presidential circle over the visit of the South African President. For Azarias Ruberwa, the objective of President Thabo Mbeki's visit is to resolve the crisis affecting the transition; while ''President Kabila has a different view''. In this regard, the paper quotes the Minister of Information and Government Spokesman, Henri Mova Sakanyi, as declaring that ''the objective of the South African President's visit is to sign trade agreements meant to happen long ago''.
In the meantime, ''unless anything unforeseen happens'', Vice-president Azarias Ruberwa was due to arrive in Kinshasa this morning to ''hand RCD's document to the mediator Thabo Mbeki'', announces LE PHARE. In this regard, LE POTENTIEL quotes the RCD spokesman, Lola Kisanga, as declaring that Mr. Ruberwa's visit to Kinshasa ''does not imply the lifting of the decision made by the RCD founders' college to suspend their participation in the transitional institutions''. The suspension will remain in force, ''as long as effective consultations are not organised with the other signatories to the All-inclusive agreement for an assessment of the halfway covered by the transition's process'', he added, further indicating that RCD appealed to MONUC to reinforce security measures for its members in Kinshasa.
Referring to RCD as a political movement, LE POTENTIEL feels that the hour of truth has come for this political party that faced with ''serious'' rifts. The paper thinks that RCD must make ''a self-assessment'', and ''reorganise the party'' after ''the Ruberwa's grand gesture''. The paper also appeals to RCD to ''draw a lesson from the general uproar caused by its decision to suspend participation in the Transition's institutions''.
Referring to the objective of the South African President's visit to the DRC, L'OBSERVATEUR declares that Thabo Mbeki is in Kinshasa to ''relaunch bilateral cooperation between both countries''. The paper recalls that South Africa and the DRC are bound by several agreements, notably in the areas of defence and military cooperation. ''Besides the political aspect, bilateral cooperation agreements will be at the centre of talks between presidents Thabo Mbeki and Joseph Kabila'', says the paper, further indicating that ''the issue of another Inter Congolese talks will not be included in the agenda''.
LA REFERENCE PLUS is apparently of the same view and titles Thabo Mbeki is not coming to give support to Ruberwa's joke, alluding to Vice-president Azarias Ruberwa's appeal for a renegotiation of the All-inclusive Agreement, which President Joseph Kabila referred to as a ''joke''. The paper considers that ''if the new political negotiations should be dismissed, Thabo Mbeki's visit would then be placed in the context of the DRC-South Africa cooperation''.
Highlighting that President Thabo Mbeki is visiting the DRC amidst a major crisis caused by the 'Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratique' following its decision to suspend its participation in the transition institutions, L'AVENIR indicates that ''the Congolese political stakeholders are impatiently awaiting the South African President''. The paper advises the political stakeholders against ''confusing Thabo Mbeki'' and urges them to show ''solidarity and maturity as they did when they gave a flat refusal to Mr. Ruberwa's demand'' for the renegotiation of the All-inclusive Agreement. The paper further urges the Congolese political stakeholders not to ''let themselves diverted before Thabo Mbeki, one of the main architects of the All-inclusive Agreement''.
The headlines in LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES read: Kabila and Ruberwa are fighting over Thabo Mbeki, alluding to the confusion prevailing between the two members of the presidential circle over the visit of the South African President. For Azarias Ruberwa, the objective of President Thabo Mbeki's visit is to resolve the crisis affecting the transition; while ''President Kabila has a different view''. In this regard, the paper quotes the Minister of Information and Government Spokesman, Henri Mova Sakanyi, as declaring that ''the objective of the South African President's visit is to sign trade agreements meant to happen long ago''.
In the meantime, ''unless anything unforeseen happens'', Vice-president Azarias Ruberwa was due to arrive in Kinshasa this morning to ''hand RCD's document to the mediator Thabo Mbeki'', announces LE PHARE. In this regard, LE POTENTIEL quotes the RCD spokesman, Lola Kisanga, as declaring that Mr. Ruberwa's visit to Kinshasa ''does not imply the lifting of the decision made by the RCD founders' college to suspend their participation in the transitional institutions''. The suspension will remain in force, ''as long as effective consultations are not organised with the other signatories to the All-inclusive agreement for an assessment of the halfway covered by the transition's process'', he added, further indicating that RCD appealed to MONUC to reinforce security measures for its members in Kinshasa.
Referring to RCD as a political movement, LE POTENTIEL feels that the hour of truth has come for this political party that faced with ''serious'' rifts. The paper thinks that RCD must make ''a self-assessment'', and ''reorganise the party'' after ''the Ruberwa's grand gesture''. The paper also appeals to RCD to ''draw a lesson from the general uproar caused by its decision to suspend participation in the Transition's institutions''.
