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Africa's Defence Industry with Ivor Ichikowitz - CNBC Africa

September 21, 2010

See the video on CNBC Africa

September 21, 2010 - In an interview with CNBC Africa, Ivor Ichikowitz, executive chairman of Paramount Group, highlighted the development of Africa's defence industry and how it is challenging Western dominance.

When asked how the South African defence industry has developed at such a noticeable rate, Mr. Ichikowitz said: “It’s a process that has taken place over a number of years. For a long time we have been world leaders in the supply of certain kinds of technology and have been able to draw of years of skill and expertise due to South Africa's unique history. The years of apartheid put South Africa in a position to build a very strong defence industry, create high technical capabilities and develop skills that many other countries were not able to build. Over the years since apartheid the government has created an environment that has allowed South Africa to go out and compete with the best in the world.”

Speaking on the launch of the revolutionary Mbombe armoured protected vehicle at AAD, Mr. Ichikowitz said: “The unveiling of Mbombe is a very important point in the history of the South African defence industry, it’s the first time in the world that an armoured personnel carrier and infantry fighting vehicle of this nature has been fielded with the levels of ballistic protection that properly meet the reality of today’s modern threats.”