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SA to help Kenya fight terror
31/07/2003 22:31 - (SA)
Pretoria - Anti-terrorism measures would be on the agenda when Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki pays a state visit to South Africa next week, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad said on Thursday.
That country's tourism industry - a major source of income - had practically collapsed due to major terrorist attacks in recent years, he told reporters in Pretoria.
In 1998, a truck bomb exploded at the United States embassy, killing more than 200 people.
In November last year, shoulder-fired missiles narrowly missed a chartered Israeli jet taking off from Mombasa's airport. Within a few minutes of that attack, a car bomb killed three Israelis, at least 10 Kenyans and the bombers at a hotel north of Mombasa.
Pahad said: "We must help Kenya to rebuild its tourist industry."
There were an increasing number of reports - true or not - of terrorist groups using the African continent as their base, he said.
The intelligence and security services of South Africa and Kenya were already exchanging ideas.
Joint issues
It was hoped that the relevant ministers of the two countries would, during the upcoming visit, discuss issues like training, equipment and exchanging information.
"We want to share our knowledge and, if necessary, equipment with other countries in Africa."
Kibaki was the first Kenyan president to pay an official visit to South Africa, the deputy minister said.
"In our view, Kenya has made great strides... We are keen to assist the Kenyans in the massive transformation the government is trying to undertake."
Pahad was asked to comment on what seemed to be a change in Pretoria's attitude to warm up towards Nairobi to a far greater extent than in the past decade.
"We have tried to improve relations," he replied.
Former president Daniel arap Moi had been invited to South Africa on several occasions.
"Clearly our offers were not accepted at the time. We had our own differences on the levels of corruption and the lack of democratic processes."
New government different
South Africa continued to discuss these matters with Kenya, as it did with all its other partners when they met them, Pahad said.
The current government was in a vastly different position than the former one.
"South Africa has to go the extra mile to help consolidate countries making a genuine effort to be part of the new thinking on the continent."
Outside the Southern African Development Community, Kenya was South Africa's largest trading partner on the continent, he said.
South Africa's exports to Kenya last year amounted to R2.3m, while those from Kenya to South Africa totalled R110 136.
Kibaki, accompanied by five cabinet ministers, would visit South Africa from Monday to Wednesday and have a meeting with President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday.
- SAPA
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