VZCZCXRO8133
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1008 2351431
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231431Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6742
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001008 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ELTN SOCI SF CG
SUBJECT: DRC AND SOUTH AFRICA SIGN AID ACCORDS AT FOURTH 
BINATIONAL COMMISSION 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Congolese and South African ministers signed accords 
on South African assistance to Congo's transportation and 
health sectors at the conclusion of Bi-national Commission 
meetings August 21.  They also signed a declaration of intent 
regarding South African support for reform of the Congolese 
army (FARDC).  The meetings marked the first summit of 
Presidents Kabila and Mbeki since DRC elections in 2006 and 
were the fourth for the commission since its inception in 
¶2004. 
 
¶2.  (U) In a joint declaration issued August 21, Kabila and 
Mbeki referred to Kabila's five-pillar government program: 
health, education, employment, electricity, water, and 
infrastructure.  The transportation accord addresses civil 
aviation, navigation, transportation infrastructure, road 
security, and transportation technology.  The health accord 
includes provisions on short term hospital management and 
medical specialist exchanges.  The accords emphasized "the 
reinforcement of human capacities and institutions" and such 
"urgent tools for stabilization" as reform of the security 
sector.  The declaration noted the two leaders discussed 
common interests and bilateral, regional, and 
international concerns.  It also stated that a sub-commission 
would meet twice yearly for follow-up and evaluation. 
 
¶3.  (U) The Kabila-Mbeki meeting was preceded by a 
ministerial August 20 and experts meetings August 16-19. 
Thirteen ministers, nearly all of Mbeki's cabinet, attended 
the meetings, which were chaired by Foreign Ministers Antipas 
Mbusa Nyamwisi and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.  Press reports 
indicate that the sessions also focused on evaluation of 28 
existing bilateral accords.  Although the agreements date as 
far back as August 2004, only six have been ratified by the 
Congo.  Mbusa promised that the DRC would speed up the 
ratification process and said "the Congolese government 
recommits to have these agreements 
ratified by Parliament." 
 
¶4.  (U) The French text of the joint declaration has been 
sent to AF/C. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Comment.  Relations between the RDC and South 
Africa are clearly intensifying.  South African manufactured 
goods are increasingly available throughout the DRC, to the 
chagrin of European exporters.  The South Africans are also 
believed to exercise considerable political influence here, 
much of it behind the scenes.  This visit is the latest in a 
series of high-profile encounters between Congolese 
authorities and African counterparts and comes on the heels 
of presidential meetings with counterparts from Angola, 
Congo-Brazzaville, and the SADC.  The Tripartite Plus 
Commission with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi is scheduled for 
September.  It is unclear whether this recent spate of 
diplomacy vis--vis regional partners represents a new focus 
on Africa, or if Kabila is simply cementing ties as an 
elected president.  End comment. 
BROCK