In what analysts said appeared to be an attempt to cement its gains ahead of any possible peace deal and withdrawal of foreign troops, Zimbabwe has created a joint “cooperation commission” with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), AP reported Saturday. “Let’s face it, the Zimbabwean government has helped us a lot during this war,” DRC Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu was as saying. According to Okitundu, the commission will focus primarily on economic cooperation between the two countries, particularly mining, AP reported, but no details were provided. DRC has some of the world’s largest reserves of cobalt, diamonds and other riches.
With the military support of Zimbabwe, Angola and Namibia, the DRC managed to hold on to some 40 percent of its vast territory against an offensive launched in August 1998 by rebels backed by Rwanda and Uganda seeking to topple the government of the late Laurent-Desire Kabila. In return, Zimbabwe is reported to have been rewarded with lucrative mining concessions in the DRC.
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