Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

A partnership between the state of New York and South Africa announced on Friday is aimed at improving military cooperation and relations in general between the two territories.

South Africa was the first country in Africa with which a state in the United States had entered into such an agreement, called a state partnership programme, said General Charles Ward, deputy commander of the US' European command.

The area in which the European command operates includes most of Africa.

Ward was speaking at a function where Major-General Thomas Maguire, adjutant-general of New York, exhanged flags with Lieutenant-General Godfrey Ngwenya, chief of joint operations of the SA National Defence Force, to symbolise the new relationship.

The partnership is an initiative of the National Guard, a US force comprising mostly reservists. It was started in 1993 after the Cold War, the National Guard says on its website.

The 18 existing partnerships involve 36 of the 50 US states and 38 countries, mostly in Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics, South and Central America, and Asia.

"The state partners actively participate in a host of engagement activities ranging from bilateral familiarisation and training events, to exercises, fellowship-style internships and civic leader visits," according to the website.

In South Africa's case, the partnership will involve both the reservist and permanent components of the SANDF.

Maguire said the members of the National Guard, being mostly part-time participants, brought with them the skills they learnt in their civilian life.

According to Ward, efforts were made to match up states in the partnerships by virtue of their having something in common.

"New York is one of the most important states."

Maguire added: "We have very similar issues."

The partnership programme had been very successful thus far, Ward said.

"It is a very good thing for us."

The partnership was concluded in the wake of a recent US decision to cut certain forms of military assistance to South Africa - and 34 other countries - under the American Servicemembers Protection Act in reprisal for the country's refusal to give Americans immunity from prosecution before the new International Criminal Court.

The act prevents South Africa from benefiting from programmes such as foreign military financing and international military education and training.

It does not, however, prevent ties under the state partnership programme.