Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said Africa nevertheless had no choice but to seek help from foreign powers.

"Our continent is caught between a rock and a hard place," Lekota told defence ministers from the 14-nation Southern African Development Community who were in Pretoria to finalise a mutual defence pact.

"We are only too aware that the involvement of foreign powers, especially military involvement, has been the cause of many of our problems," the SAPA news agency quoted him as saying.

"But we are forced to call for help from the developed world, especially the previous colonial powers, to resolve these same problems," Lekota said.

"In assuming this responsibility for itself and its self-defence, we Africans must begin with a partnership among ourselves."

Lekota's comments come two days after the Unites States said it would withdraw 47 million dollars in aid to 35 countries, including South Africa, for not signing a deal that would give US citizens immunity from prosecution in the International Criminal Court of Justice.

African heads of state are set to discuss a common defence policy for the continent at an African Union summit in Maputo this weekend.

Lekota said the global security environment posed serious challenges to Africa which had become a theatre of international terrorist activity.

"We are now obliged to respond singly, regionally and continentally to these threats. We, therefore, need to pool our resources."

The US-led war on terrorism and the recent conflict in Iraq was putting pressure on Africa to increase its defence spending, Lekota said.

In doing so, the continent ran the risk of turning its attention away from security priorities that were vital for development. These included ensuring the security of ports and maritime resources.

WAR.WIRE