Mbanza Kongo – At least 13 precarious homes built anarchically by citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on the border line separating the towns of Nóqui (Angola) and Matadi (DRC), began to be demolished by the local authorities on Thursday.
This measure follows an agreement reached between the Angolan and DRC border authorities at the last bilateral meeting, held on 8 and 9 August this year in the city of Matadi, DRC.
The demolitions began at Mile 3 and are expected to extend to Mile 6 in the coming days, on the baseline of the common border between the two border towns.
The municipal administrator of Nóqui, Manuel José António, and the legal advisor to the administrator of Matadi, Baltazar Mavangama, led the event which was attended by the members of the joint commission of the two regions.
The municipal administrator of Nóqui, Manuel José António, said that the act was the culmination of a marathon negotiation that the authorities of the two neighbouring towns had been holding for years.
‘The process of demolishing homes and commercial establishments that began today will continue over the next few days in order to restore legality to the border line,’ said the administrator.
At the last meeting, held last August in the city of Matadi (DRC), the two sides recommended the need to preserve a space of around 50 metres on the common border line, to facilitate joint patrols by the security forces.
It was also decided at the meeting that the Congolese authorities should continue to sensitise the population living on the border perimeter to refrain from the indiscriminate killing of flora and fauna on national territory.
The province of Zaire shares a 310 kilometres border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. JL/DAN/DOJ
