(Ξένη δημοσίευση)-ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΤΥΠΟΥ-REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA -Request for financial proposal
TRANSLATION FROM THE ORIGINAL PORTUGUESE VERSION FINAL COMMUNIQU? OF THE 9th SESSION OF THE JOINT COMMISSION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( LUANDA, 17th DECEMBER 2009 ) 1. Between 15th and 17th December 2009, the 9th Session of the Joint Commission between the Republic of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was held at the National School of Administration, in Luanda. 2. The Delegation of the Republic of Angola was led by H.E. Assun??o A. de Sousa Anjos, Angolan Foreign Minister, and the Delegation of the Democratic Republic of Congo was led by H.E. Raymond Tshibanda Ntungamulongo, Minister of International and Regional Cooperation. 3. The Delegations were composed by Government members of both Countries, Provincial Governors, Senior Officials of the State, as well as experts and technicians of the areas involved. 4. At the open Session, the Heads of the Delegations declared themselves in favour of closer relations between the two countries, so that these relations can develop into an atmosphere of Peace, Harmony and permanent Understanding, based on a constructive partnership and under compliance with the guiding principles of relations between sovereign States. 5. The Heads of the Delegations also recognized that the geography, sociology and common history, confer a special character to the relations between the two countries, imposing obligations particularly in matters of ongoing consultation. 6. In order to speed up the discussions a Sub-commissions framework was formed as follows: Sub-Commissions: 1. For migratory and border issues; 2. For transport, public works, energy and telecommunications; 3. To deal with issues related to the oil sector and to the DRC debts to Angola; 4. For issues related to Defence and Security. The conclusions of the work of the Sub-Commissions were taken into account in the preparation of the present Final Communiqu?. 7. The meeting was characterized by an understanding of major issues points of common interest, contained in the working agenda, having been constituted in a renewed occasion to reaffirm its determination to spare no efforts to work for an exemplary partnership between the two countries and to strive to explore cooperation opportunities, notably through the enrichment and reactualization of the legal framework conducting the bilateral relations and its necessary adaptation to changes that have taken place within the respective countries. 8. In this sense, the two Delegations, recognized the need to take immediate action regarding the joint mechanisms already established for the appropriate treatment of issues of bilateral cooperation, especially in the oil field. 9. The Angolan side reminded the Congolese side about the existence of the Agreement on the Exploration and Production of Hydrocarbons in the Sea Area of Common Interest, signed on 30th July 2007 in Luanda, and ratified by the Government of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 10. The Angolan side reminded the Congolese side about the holding of the two meetings, one on a ministerial level and the other one on a technical level, in Kinshasa, 23rd July 2008 and 11th March 2009, respectively, on the implementation of the above Agreement. A third meeting was scheduled to take place in Luanda, but did not take place due to lack of response from the Congolese Part. 11. The Congolese side regrets the fact that the referred meeting did not take place and proposes the update of the calendar on the issues related to the Area of Joint Interest. Taken into account that the analysis of this issue involves the participation of other sectoral ministries of the DRC, the two Parts agreed to meet in Luanda, within a period not exceeding the end of the first quarter of 2010. 12. The two Delegations committed themselves to further promote the cooperation in the traditional sectors of common interest and decided to lay solid basis for a more dynamic cooperation between both Governments. As a first step, concluded on the necessity of identifying the reached understandings and the need for this understanding to be materialized. 13. Thus, after careful analysis of the causes and consequences, mechanisms were found in order to consider and resolve the issues of migratory nature and of the rechecking of land and river boundaries demarcation. Special attention was given to the delimitation and demarcation of the maritime border, in the framework of the extension of the continental shelf. 14. In this regard, the two Parts agreed on the creation of a joint working group, incorporating experts from the Republic of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, during the first half of 2010. The date of the beginning of the referred group’s work will be set through diplomatic channels. 15. Also, the two Delegations agreed on the need of signing a tripartite Agreement Angola-DRC-UNHCR, in order to organize the voluntary repatriation of Angolan refugees, over a period of two years, after the signing of the referred Agreement. 16. It was agreed that Angola should send, through the diplomatic channel, a draft of the Agreement on migration, before the 15th of January 2010, to the Congolese Part for further study. This Agreement shall, among other things, provide the issue of the protection and restitution, under the law, of the citizens property expelled or who return voluntarily to their country. 17. In order to achieve this great goal, the two Delegations recognized the need to provide a regular character and permanent operation of the Sub-Commissions and working groups, as well as to perform the X Session of the Bilateral Commission between Angola and DRC, during the second half of 2010, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, without prejudice of, in this "interim" the Sub-Commissions can assemble whenever necessary. Luanda, 17th December 2009 FOR THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA FOR THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO [Signatura] [Signatura] Assun??o A.de Sousa Anjos Raymond Tshibanda Ntungamulongo Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister of International and Regional Cooperation CS
