THE fifth session of the Zambia-Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joint permanent commission (JPC) on defence and security held in Ndola has urged the Zambian and Congolese governments to source funds for the physical demarcation of the Zambia-DRC border.

According to a communiqué released at the Savoy Hotel in Ndola on Friday, after the end of the session, the JPC urged the two governments to make every effort towards sourcing funds from co-operating partners for the physical demarcation of the border between the two countries.

The JPC took place from Wednesday to Friday last week, and the Zambian delegation led by Defence Minister Kalombo Mwansa included Home Affairs Minister Lameck Mangani, defence chiefs and other officials, while the Congolese side was led by vice-prime minister and minister of home affairs, Adolphe Lumanu Mulenda Bwana Nsefu and included defence minister Charles Mwando Simba, defence chiefs and other officials.

The JPC commended the committee of experts for coming up with a joint proposal for the physical demarcation of the border and sensitisation material.

"The commission urged the two governments to make every effort towards sourcing funds from external cooperating partners for the implementation of the project," the communiqué reads in part.

It said the commission expressed concern that the two countries had continued to face some security challenges, particularly those related to trans-national crime, such as the increasing cases of human trafficking, illegal migration, smuggling, poaching, money laundering, stock and motor vehicle thefts.

It was also recommended that the two countries should further increase security measures to limit the crimes and to impede the expected increase of undesirable elements in the region due to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this year.

The commission expressed satisfaction with what had been achieved from the resolutions made in the last meeting.

The communiqué said the commission wished both countries free and fair elections in 2011 as both countries would be holding general elections.

Dr Mwansa said at the closure of the meeting he was grateful that the Congolese delegation made it to Zambia for the meeting and appealed for continued commitment from both sides in order to fulfil the commission's mandate for the benefit of the Zambian and Congolese people.

He said the commission would be irrelevant if the recommendations were not implemented by the next session.

Mr Bwana Nsefu said he was happy with the deliberations of the meeting and thanked President Rupiah Banda and his Government for the warm welcome accorded to his delegation.

The next meeting will be held in the DRC at a date and venue to be communicated later.