Oman inks anti-piracy deal with South Africa

South Africa is seeking Omani help over the protection of its coastline from pirates via a defence deal signed in Cape Town on Tuesday. The memorandum of understanding includes agreements on technical co-operation, shared discussions about peace-keeping operations and potential arms sales. The agreement, signed by South African minister of defence Lindiwe Sisulu and Omani counterpart Sayyid bin Saud bin Harib Al Busaidi, will allow the African nation to learn valuable anti-piracy lessons from the Gulf state, which has developed advanced methods of coping with the threat on its lengthy coastline. Piracy is becoming an increasingly prominent problem in the Mozambican Channel, to the north of South Africa’s east coast. Sisulu also said that she hoped the agreement would lead to more military purchases from Oman, the first Gulf state to buy defence equipment from South Africa. During his visit, Al Busaidi also met with South Africa’s president, Dr Jacob Zuma.