Congo Kinshasa
Rwanda and South Africa find common ground

afrol.com, 19 October - The new Rwandan-South African ties have already "rocked the regional security situation," as afrol.com reported on Tuesday. The warm mutual support presidents Mbeki and Kagame gave each other on Mbeki's visit to Rwanda, underlines that the two countries have found common ground for a deeper cooperation.

Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, arrived in Kigali on Wednesday morning, beginning his two-day State Visit to Rwanda. President Mbeki’s visit to Rwanda is the first by a South African Head of State to Rwanda. President Mbeki is accompanied by his Foreign Minister, Nkosazana Zuma, the Minister for Agriculture, Phoko Didiza and the Minister for Public Enterprises, J.K. Radebe. 

A large delegation of leading South African businessmen and women are also part of President Mbeki’s delegation. They will be meeting Rwanda's business community with a view to consolidating business ties. South Africa already has turned into one of the main investors in Rwanda, which slowly but steadily is rebuilding its economy after the collapse caused by the 1993 genocide.

On Wednesday afternoon, President Mbeki delivered the keynote address at the Rwandan Unity and Reconciliation Summit. "I must join President Kagame in congratulating the Commission for the work it has done already to ensure that Rwandans grapple with the past openly and honestly so that we can rebuild," President Mbeki addressed the summit. 

Emphasizing on the many parallels in South African and Rwandan recent history, in particular the crimes against humanity made by ex-governments in both countries and the progresses made lately, Mbeki gave much needed legitimacy to Kagame's Government of National Unity. Kagame's Government has been loudly criticized from many quarters, most notably from the respected organisation human Rights Watch. The exiled Hutu opposition claims that he is not representing the majority of the Rwandan people. Mbeki's praisal of the reconciliation and democratisation process led by Kagame's Government therefore was an important symbolic act.

President Mbeki also said that the South African experience had shown that the programme of unity and reconciliation should form a central part of the reconstruction and development programme for the country. "The process of unity and reconciliation must be at the center of all our activities and programmes as we struggle to create a new reality," President Mbeki said. 

After giving a long but emotional historic briefing on the unity, reconciliation and transformation process in South Africa, Mbeki turned to the audience and told them "I am confident that some of these things you are already engaged in. I say these things about South Africa, not because these are transferable to Rwanda, but because we should share ideas and experiences. It has been incumbent upon both our countries to ensure that the political conflicts of the past do not become an obstacle to future development and the deepening of democracy and democratic participation in our people's lives."

Congo War
President Mbeki further noted that African nations must end conflict before development can be realized. "There is, I believe, broad agreement that the development we desire so much for all African people can only happen when we end the conflicts and when we have peace permeating the entirety of our continent," President Mbeki said. This was the closest he got to mention the armed conflict in Congo Kinshasa (DRC), were Rwanda, in reality, is fighting against South Africa's closest allies, Namibia and Zimbabwe. It has been noted that Mbeki gave much honour to Kagame for the recent possible breakthrough in the DRC peace negotiations (on Monday in Maputo).

South Africa, though no directly involved in the DRC, has been seen as a silent ally to Zimbabwean President Mugabe and Namibian President Nujoma, and their direct involvement on DRC President Kabila's side in the war. Rwanda and Uganda, on the other side, have troops deployed in the DRC supporting the rebel army Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD). South Africa so far has shown sympathy for the view of Mugabe and Nujoma, mostly due to the historic ties between the old liberation movements the presidents in the three countries head. However, one has noted some tiredness in Pretoria when it comes to defend a more and more anachronistic Mugabe. 

The recent trend of South Africa and Rwanda "finding" each other therefore may have great implications on regional security topics. although one cannot say that South Africa is shifting from one camp to another, one can say that its neutrality in the conflict is getting clearer.

President Kagame, although mostly addressing the real issue of the Summit, being the reconciliation process in Rwanda, also made mention of the latest achievements in Rwanda, which should be of interest to potential investors. Kagame noted that Rwanda now enjoys security right across the country, and most Rwandans who had fled into exile in neighbouring countries have returned home. He further noted that basic infrastructure had been rehabilitated and economic reforms put in place to strengthen the economy. He said that these achievements provide a solid foundation on which to work towards unity and reconciliation of all Rwandans.

President Kagame and President Mbeki then held private talks, later on Wednesday afternoon. Today, President Mbeki will visit business enterprises in Gisenyi and tour the Murambi Genocide Memorial Site. He will also meet with the Rwandan business community. 

"President Mbeki’s visit comes at a time of strengthening relations between South Africa and Rwanda," a press release from the Rwandan Presidency notes soberly.

Sources: Based on South African Govt. and Rwandan Presidency

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