Pakistan and South Africa today signed the first MoU to strengthen defence ties, especially defence industrial production and exchange of military information and training of armed forces.
The Memorandum of Understanding on 'Defence and Defence Industrial Cooperation' was signed in Islamabad during the visit of South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Naqkula.
Under the MoU, a Joint Defence Committee will be set up to pave the way for strengthening and diversifying bilateral defence cooperation through collaborative programmes, exchange of information and training of the armed forces.
The MoU has paved the way for military technical agreement between Pakistan and South Africa, she said after signing the agreement with Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.
"We appreciate Pakistan's defence efforts," she said.
Mapisa-Nqakula said South Africa would also pursue its interest in purchasing Pakistan's Super Mushtaq jet.
"The importance of continuous cementing of relations in an effort to share knowledge and ideas can never be overemphasised," Mapisa-Nqakula said.
"As the South African National Defence Force, we believe in empowering ourselves and others through collaborative partnerships and agreements," the minister said.
The MoU seeks to promote collaboration and exchange between the two countries in line with the latest defence review.
Mapisa-Nqakula's visit was the first official visit to Pakistan by a South African defence minister since the democratic government was established in 1994 under Nelson Mandela.
Due to sanctions and embargoes imposed against South Africa's apartheid government initiated by India in 1948, South Africa and India had no bilateral relations until then, but have had increasing relations since then.
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