Bilateral accord signed between Pretoria and Kinshasa

South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a bilateral agreement worth US $10 billion, covering the areas of defence and security, the economy and finance, agriculture and infrastructural development. Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and Joseph Kabila signed the deal in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, at the end of Mbeki's first state visit to the Congo. A joint commission of the two governments has been tasked with implementing the agreement. Congo also signed a 60-million rand (US $8.4 million) deal with the South African Chamber of Commerce to rehabilitate the state's giant Gecamines mining concern, the 39th concession of the Kilomoto Gold Mines, and for the management of Kinshasa's Grand Hotel as well as Hotel Karavia in Lubumbashi, the minister responsible for state-owned firms, Joseph Mudumbi, said. (IRIN)