Mbeki jets into Brazza in first official visit

South African President Thabo Mbeki made his first official visit to the oil-rich Republic of Congo (ROC) on Wednesday, saying he had come to develop bilateral relationships. He was met by President Denis Sassou-Nguesso who said, "Health and education sectors as well as infrastructures are in the centre of our concerns." However, trade issues are also a focus of the two-day visit, the South African Department of Foreign Affairs, or Foreign Ministry, said in a statement. It said in October Sassou-Nguesso had met with a delegation from the black managed and owned investment company, Mvelaphanda Holdings, and made "firm offers to the group to drill for oil in two offshore blocks in the Congo Basin". The ministry said the Mvelaphanda group was also expected to build roads, houses and hotels to promote tourism. The ROC government has given control of the national railway line between Brazzaville and the port city of Pointe-Noire to a South African consortium, Sheltam Mvela, for the next 25 years. South Africa will soon open an embassy in Brazzaville. In addition, a South African airline is looking into flying between Johannesburg and Brazzaville, the South African ministry said.