LEKOTA VISITS BELGIUM
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota arrived in Belgium on Tuesday on an official two-day visit aimed at enhancing diplomatic links between the two countries, his department said.
Lekota is expected to meet his Belgian counterpart Andre Flahaut to discuss broad-ranging relationships.
"The Department of Defence regards Belgium as an important partner in its efforts to support government peace initiatives in the Great Lakes region," the department said in a statement.
"Belgium has declared its willingness to contribute resources towards the disengagement, demobilisation, repatriation and reintegration of former combatants in that region as well as towards reconstruction and development of it."
Belgium contributed euros 5.5 million towards the first SA National Defence Force mission that protected Burundian political leaders returning from exile.
"South Africa, Belgium and the Democratic Republic of Congo have a trilateral co-operation in terms of which members of the SANDF have been assisting with the identification, training and integration of DRC combatants and 113,236 have been identified to date."
Belgium is the former colonial power of the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda.
Lekota and Flahaut are expected to discuss a co-operative defence plan.
-
22 Août 2006 à 17:30 dans
- zsandf (anglais)
