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Union Buildings - President Thabo Mbeki will Friday, 12 September, lead the South African delegation to the historic inauguration of Paul Kagame as president of Rwanda.

The President will be accompanied by Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi of Limpopo Province, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aziz Pahad, the Deputy Minister of Education and President of the Azanian People's Organisation (Azapo), Mosibudi Mangena, Mr P Siaamon on behalf of the Premier of the Western Cape and the leader of the New National Party (NNP), Premier Marthinus Van Schalkwyk and the President's political advisor, Titus Mafolo.

The South African Government views this inauguration, a product of the first democratic elections in Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, as fundamental to the restoration of peace in Africa - a precondition for building a better life for the continent's people.

The Government believes further it is in the best interest of all humanity for South Africans together to join hands with other citizens of the continent and the global village in celebrating the end of the horrific genocide in Rwanda in which an estimated one million people were killed in cold blood and over 3 million displaced as they sought refuge in other African countries.

Earlier on the Government and people of South Africa expressed congratulations to Rwanda's President-elect, Paul Kagame, the Rwandan Government, political parties and its people for the successful and historic presidential multiparty elections held on Monday, 25 August 2003.

President Mbeki reiterated the Government's view that the post-genocide reconstruction in Rwanda bears testimony to the fact that Africa is indeed on the irreversible march towards its renewal which will lay a firm basis for pushing back the twin evils of poverty and under-development.

For more information please contact David Hlabane on 082 561 9428, Bheki Khumalo on 083 256 9133 and Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.

Issued by: The Presidency

10 September 2003