Minister Lamola to hold consultations with his DRC counterpart

The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola, will hold Political and Diplomatic Consultations with his counterpart, Ms Thérèse Kayiwamba Wagner, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, 27 March 2025, in Pretoria.

The Ministers are expected to review bilateral cooperation between South Africa and the DRC, including commitments made during the 12th Session of the South Africa-DRC Bi-National Commission relating to the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.

South Africa and the DRC maintain strong diplomatic and political ties, dating back to 1997 when former President Nelson Mandela facilitated a meeting between the late President Désiré Kabila and Mobutu Sese Seko aboard a South African Navy ship in Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville. Formal bilateral relations between South Africa and the DRC were established in 1992. These relations are primarily conducted through the Bi-National Commission (BNC), which was established in January 2004. The most recent session of the BNC was held in Kinshasa, DRC, on 6 July 2023. South Africa is set to host the 13th Session of the BNC.

Since then, South Africa and the DRC have significantly strengthened their bilateral cooperation across various sectors, culminating in the signing of 38 Bilateral Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These legal instruments cover a broad spectrum of areas, including agriculture, defence, trade and investment, health, policing, energy, public service and administration, cooperative governance, transport, diplomatic cooperation, and immigration.

South Africa has significant investments in the DRC and is the second largest source of imports for the country. Many South African multinational companies have a large footprint in the country in several sectors, including, among others, infrastructure development, financial services, mining, construction and property development, retail, etc.

Members of the media are invited to cover opening remarks and media briefing as follows:

Date: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Time: 10h30
Venue: Conference Centre 1, OR Tambo Building, DIRCO

RSVP: Mpho Rakgakole, rakgakolem@dirco.gov.za

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

OR Tambo Building
460 Soutpansberg Road
Rietondale
Pretoria
0084