/ 14 June 2007

Kabila: SA, DRC could be Africa’s economic ‘engine’

South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) could become an engine of growth for Africa, visiting DRC President Joseph Kabila said on Thursday.

”The opportunities for growth that present themselves to us are huge,” he told a joint sitting of South African Parliament.

”Let us seize these opportunities and let our two countries become the engine that will drive the economic development of the region and the rest of Africa.”

Kabila, who earlier held talks with President Thabo Mbeki at Tuynhuys, is on an official visit to South Africa.

Speaking in French, he told MPs he wished cooperation between the two countries would be stepped up.

”Our two countries both operate in the Southern African Development Community, so they have to cooperate … in regional development plans … I would like to see this cooperation intensified.”

Kabila said his government was focusing on rehabilitating many facets of the DRC’s economy.

These included re-launching the agricultural sector, rebuilding the mining industry and putting in place basic infrastructure such as roads, railways, ports and airports.

”We are also focusing on access to employment, to water and electricity, and to housing, healthcare and education.”

Kabila noted the importance of free enterprise and ”the social economy” of markets, as well as that of regional integration.

The DRC is still recovering from the effects of the so-called Second Congo War, the world’s bloodiest conflict since 1945.

It claimed an estimated four million lives, most because of disease and starvation. The country remains plagued by outbreaks of violence.

Kabila became his country’s first democratically elected president in January this year, following elections the previous November.

He is to attend an official dinner hosted by Mbeki in his honour on Thursday evening.

On Friday, Kabila and Mbeki will take part in the DRC Business Forum, before Kabila leaves Cape Town for a visit to North West. — Sapa