Maravi

Rupiah happy with Rwanda, DRC tie

Rupiah happy with Rwanda, DRC tie
By Chibaula Silwamba
Wed 20 Jan. 2010, 04:01 CAT

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has said he is happy that Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are exchanging diplomats. Speaking to journalists on arrival from Rwanda at the Lusaka International Airport on Monday, President Banda explained that he went to Rwanda to meet President Paul Kagame ahead of the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“We are preparing for our final report to be presented at the AU at the end of this month in Addis Ababa. It was necessary for me to meet with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Joseph Kabila and the President of Rwanda; the two heads of state. You remember they didn’t come for the summit,” said President Banda who is also chairperson of the Great Lakes Region (GLR).

“So the real issue is that they are all very supportive of the common ground they have taken.

You know they are exchanging diplomats between Congo and Rwanda. So I am very happy about that. But also we have to keep talking to each other all the time about the issues of mutual development between our two countries as well as the African problem that we are facing all the time especially in the Great Lakes Region; the war in the eastern DRC.”

On whether Zambia would help earthquake victims in Haiti, President Banda said Haiti was far from Zambia.

“It’s a little bit far for us. But of course the Vice-President is here. We are very concerned about what is happening in Haiti but there is very little that we can do to assist our brothers there. It’s really terrible, isn’t it?” asked President Banda.

Labels: DRC, RUPIAH BANDA, RWANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:29 AM