The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Alfred Nzo, today announced the donation of non-lethal military equipment worth R230 000 to the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for use by its military observer mission in the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros.
The equipment consists mainly of military radios but also includes collapsible rubber boats, water bottles, and emergency medical kits. The equipment will be used in support of the present twenty-man African military observer mission, which was deployed by the OAU in the Comoros on 29 November 1997, to observe the political situation on the islands. This followed the announcement by the islands of Anjouan and Moheli of their intention to secede from the Comoros. The observer mission is currently deployed on the islands of Grand Comoros and Moheli.
Minister Nzo also formed part of an OAU Ministerial Observer Mission to the Comoros in March this year, in support of which two South African Air Force planes were also made available.
South Africa's contributions are in line with its commitment to assist the OAU's efforts to facilitate a return to political normality in the Comoros.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRETORIA 6 JULY 1998