Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
The South African Government has acceeded to a request by the Ethiopian authorities to assist in combating a forest fire that has been raging for more than 20 days in the south of the country. The fire has already destroyed more than 40 000 hectares of forest.
South Africa will provide assistance in the form of resources which include among others, fire suppression crew members, daily monitoring of fires and weather forecast. A team of South African experts will be in Ethiopia for the first phase of the operation, expected to last for ten days.
Speaking from Addis Abbaba, where he is currently leading a South African delegation to the OAU Council of Ministers Meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said: "South Africa is honoured to be part of a international team providing assistance to the Ethiopian authorities in extinguishing these fires."
For more information contact
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell no. 082 990 4853
9 MARCH 2000