US targets African trade talks

Mr Zoellick met Kenya's president Daniel Moi

US trade representative Robert Zoellick has embarked on a three-nation tour of Africa to discuss trade between the two continents.

It is the first tour to Sub-Saharan Africa by a US trade chief in a decade, and comes hot on the heels of a trip by UK prime minister Tony Blair.

There are high hopes that a meeting between Mr Zoellick and South Africa's trade minister, Alec Erwin, will result in a free trade agreement.

Mr Erwin has expressed interest in the US proposals, but stresses that South Africa's priority is settling a long-running trade dispute over poultry and steel.

South Africa is Africa's largest economy and concluded a free trade agreement with the European Union in 1999.

Kenya seeks investment

Mr Zoellick is due to arrive in South Africa after spending Thursday in Kenya where he met with president Daniel arap Moi.

It is Mr Zoellick's first such trip

According to local radio reports, the two men held lengthy talks about the African Growth and Opportunity Act - US legislation offering tariff cuts with the aim of encouraging economic growth in Africa.

President Moi also encouraged Americans to increase their investment in Kenya, noting that his country was a gateway to wider east African markets such as Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Zoellick outlined his vision for the trip to US Congress last week.

He highlighted the need to support Africa's political and economic reform, while listening and learning more about Africa's needs.

WTO objectives

Mr Zoellick will meet the 14 nation Southern African Development Community in Pretoria on Saturday and with South African Trade and Industry Minister Alec Erwin on Monday.

In Botswana, his visit is expected to focus on that country's especially severe epidemic of Aids and HIV.

The US trade representative also stressed that he wanted to advance "common objectives" in the World Trade Organisation.