Pretoria: The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, is set to engage in political and diplomatic consultations with Th©r¨se Kayiwamba Wagner, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Francophonie of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
According to South African Government News Agency, the ministers aim to review the bilateral cooperation between South Africa and the DRC during their meeting, with a focus on commitments from the 12th Session of the South Africa-DRC Bi-National Commission (BNC). The discussions are scheduled for Thursday, 27 March 2025, in Pretoria.
The political relationship between the two countries dates back to 1997, when former President Nelson Mandela arranged a meeting between the late President D©sir© Kabila and Mobutu Sese Seko on a South African Navy ship in Pointe-Noire, Congo-Brazzaville. Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1992, and since then, cooperation has been primarily conducted through the BNC, which was established in 2004.
The most recent BNC session took place in Kinshasa, DRC, on 6 July 2023, and South Africa is set to host the 13th session. Over the years, South Africa and the DRC have strengthened their bilateral cooperation, resulting in the signing of 38 bilateral agreements and Memoranda of Understanding covering areas such as agriculture, defence, trade and investment, health, policing, energy, and more.
Additionally, South Africa has significant investments in the DRC, serving as the second-largest source of imports for the country. Many South African multinational companies have established a substantial presence in sectors like infrastructure development, financial services, mining, and retail in the DRC.