BuaNews (Tshwane)
Edwin Tshivhidzo
6 October 2008
South Africa's participation in peace keeping missions on the African continent has begun to bear fruits with the successful integration and training of former armed forces.
South Africa, since 2000, has been a major contributor to United Nations and African Union peacekeeping missions and has troops and military observers deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Darfur (in Sudan) and Nepal among others.
To further enhance its commitments to creating stability on the continent, South Africa has also signed agreements, which make provision for the training and setting up of various African countries defence forces.
South Africa last year committed itself to training former rebel group members in the DRC to become part of a new defence force. These troops will help in reconstructing the country and provide further security.
The first battalion of these trained troops, the Rapid Reaction Battalion, were received by the DRC Defence Minister, Chikez Diemu last week.
Although not all rebels were integrated, it is expected that more rebels would voluntarily disarm themselves and join the battalion.
The move has been seen as a step in the right direction towards stability and lasting peace in the DRC, by both the people of Congo and African countries. It also paves the way for the DRC to successfully host the next Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit in 2009.
In one of the Memorandum of Understandings signed between South Africa and the DRC, South Africa also committed to develop infrastructure in that country which will be crucial in growing the country socia-economically.
Speaking at the official handing over ceremony held in Mura Base, Likasi in Congo, Minister of Defence Charles Nqakula said South Africa remained committed in the development of the African continent through the training of troops as well as its various peace-keeping missions.
"Our country believes in the principles of democracy," he said, adding that South Africa will continue to promote peace in volatile areas.
The DRC Defence Minister agreed that development was critical in ensuring peace in countries such as his own. "Everybody deserves peace," he said.
The successful launch of the first battalion formed part of broader diplomatic engagements by South Africa, along with other role players, to assist with the reform of the DRC following that country's democratic elections in 2006.
In 2004, the two governments signed an Agreement on Defence Cooperation, paving the way for the two ministries to further sign an agreement on Practical Assistance to the Government of the Republic of Congo, among many other agreements.
Last year South Africa and the DRC signed the Memorandum of Understanding making provision for the SANDF training their troops as well as committing to developing infrastructure.
The MoU was signed by the Minister of Public Works Thoko Didiza, and the DRC Ambassador to South Africa Bene Mpoko.
At the time, the minister explained that South Africa would assist the DRC to rehabilitate the infrastructure that was destroyed during years of conflict there, to build new ones and to maintain it.
In recent years, the DRC has been ravaged by wars between armed rebel forces and government troops and that has left scores of people dead while many more were forced to flee the country.
Minister Nqakula reiterated South Africa's commitment in the development of African countries.
"We would like to assure the government of the DRC and the people that the South African government will continue to honour its obligations in respect of the bilateral and trilateral agreements.
"South Africa will continue to assist in the promotion of peace and security in volatile areas of our region, continent and abroad," he said.
Recently, the former Defence Minister Mosioua Lekota visited Mozambique to conclude an agreement which the two countries had entered into.
In terms of this agreement, the SANDF will train their personnel in defence issues, among others.
In his State of the Nation Address in February this year, former President Thabo Mbeki said it was the responsibility of South Africa to ensure peace prevailed in the continent.
He said it was a common aspiration of the peoples of the continent for greater integration in pursuit of continental unity at all levels.
In terms of the Programme of Action, the South African government aims to contribute to the establishment of the African Standby Force, review of the White Paper on Peace Missions, support stabilisation efforts in Western Sahara, support peace efforts in Cote d'Ivoire and Ethiopia Eritea, contribute to the stabilisation of Somalia, support the strengthening of peace and stability in Burundi and support stabilisation efforts in the Comoros.
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