The South African cabinet has snubbed the United States government over its insistence on linking military training assistance with indemnifying US service people.
In a statement from cabinet spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe on Thursday, he said Thursday’s ordinary cabinet meeting was briefed on the intention of the United States Administration to terminate the International Military Education and Training and Foreign Military Fund Programmes (IMET), ”unless South Africa enters into a bilateral agreement indemnifying US servicemen and women from prosecution by the International Criminal Court [ICC].”
This is linked to the recent military intervention by the United States in Iraq.
Netshitenzhe said the South African government ”is to communicate through appropriate channels with the United States that South Africa would not enter into such a bilateral agreement”.
”South Africa’s position in this regard is premised on its commitment to the humanitarian objectives of the ICC and the country’s international obligations. The Department of Defence will address the funding shortfalls through the normal budgeting and adjustment processes,” he said.
IMET provides training to African military officers from 44 countries at facilities in the US. In 2003, IMET was expected to have provided training to more than 1 600 African officers.
South Africa was the largest recipient of this assistance in 2001 — receiving $1,2-million in assistance. The estimated assistance was $1,4-million in 2002 and a similar amount was expected to be spent this year.
Senegal is the next largest recipient in Africa of this assistance with about $900 000 in the financial years 2001 to 2003, while Botswana receives about $600 000 in assistance each year. – I-Net Bridge