The unprecedented visit by an Egyptian president to South Africa promises lucrative trade and investment opportunities and closer political collaboration, writes Gamal Nkrumah Yes, to some extent this has been a carefully choreographed trip. The three-day trip was designed to do more than turn a weakness into strength. President Hosni Mubarak understands all too well that for so long Africa did not feature prominently in Egyptian foreign policy. South Africa is a most remarkable host. Mubarak, too, is a most extraordinary guest. Egypt is a unique African country that wears many hats: African, Arab, Mediterranean and Islamic. It is against this dramatic backdrop that Mubarak stepped through South Africa with a fair degree of agility. Egypt, since the swinging 1960s, when the late president Gamal Abdel-Nasser forged close ties with the newly independent African nations, has adopted a defensive crouch when it comes to dealing with Africa south of the Sahara. Mubarak has marched into African territory with his head held high. Egypt has much to offer fellow African nations especially in the technical and economic spheres. While Africa was the focus of bilateral talks, wider international issues were also included. "We reviewed many regional issues of common interest including the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iraq, Iran's nuclear programme, as well as the crisis of the world economy and its implications on food security in the developing countries, particularly in Africa," Mubarak told reporters in South Africa. The president held talks with his South African counterpart Thabo Mbeki and Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. The onus was on enhancing African interaction through the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), widely bandied as a blueprint for African economic survival. South Africa and Egypt together need to introduce more order into the chaos that surrounds them. Zimbabwe, next door to South Africa, is in political turmoil. Sudan, Egypt's neighbour to the immediate south is also in dire straits. This week has made the gargantuan task of uplifting Africa a lot easier. At the very least, it might symbolically be seen as the first step towards African political and economic renaissance. They may invite, but never compel others to join them. Brainstorming the political crises in Zimbabwe and Sudan were, perhaps, the trickiest parts of Mubarak's tour. The president will stop over in Uganda for talks with the leader of the Nile Basin country Yoweri Museveni, who is acutely interested in the political fortunes of Sudan to his north. Then, there was an economic aspect to the tour. Egypt and South Africa are two of the most vigorous African economies. They are the largest and the most highly industrialised. The two countries are staunch believers in the cause of NEPAD, which has lately come under intense fire for stagnating and failing to fulfil its initial promise. Thus far, NEPAD has been a disappointment. Yet, Cairo and Pretoria are interested in sustainable social and economic development, conflict prevention and resolution. It is within this context that the two countries ascribe many of the pathologies of contemporary Africa, from civil war, famine and pandemic diseases, to poverty and unfair world trade practices. They also see themselves as political bridge- builders in a highly volatile continent. So is this anything more than rhetoric? would argue not. Indeed, it sticks in the gullet of most leaders of the African continent that the very international injustices and double standards championed by Western nations in the political and global trading spheres talks hold sway over the continent. Egypt and South Africa see eye to eye on many such vexing questions, such as the Doha Round of global trade. Much of the credit for continental stability should go to the persistent determination of Egypt and South Africa to act as propagators of political tolerance and peaceful intercession. If Egypt and South Africa collaborate more closely in African affairs, everybody else on the continent will be forced to sit up and take note.
