28 10 13 AllAfrica: Zuma Set for State Visit to DRC

Zuma
and DRC President Joseph Kabila "are expected to discuss political, economic and
security cooperation and pay particular focus on the search for peace and
stability in the eastern part of the DRC and the Great Lakes Region," the
Presidency said on Friday.

South
Africa plays a critical part in the promotion and consolidation of peace and
stability in the DRC by contributing troops to the United Nations Stabilisation
Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco). South Africa also
contributes to a battalion serving as part of the Monusco Intervention Brigade,
established under UN Security Council Resolution 2098.

The
two countries cooperate on a number of projects in various fields, including
security sector reform, infrastructure development, capacity and institutional
building, humanitarian and social matters.

The
growing economic cooperation between South Africa and the DRC will receive added
impetus through a two-day business forum to be held in Kinshasa. The forum,
according to the Presidency, will be looking for ways to expand trade and
investment between the two countries.

Zuma
will also be accompanied by a business delegation as well as eight Cabinet
ministers: International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite
Nkoana-Mashabane, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins
Chabane, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Police Minister Nathi
Mthethwa, Energy Minister Ben Martins, and Trade and Industry Minister Rob
Davies.