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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Eric Bost was sworn in as US Ambassador to South Africa by President George W. Bush in July 2006. He oversees one of the largest US embassies in the world, supervising a staff of over 1 000 from 26 agencies including the FBI which has been supporting South Africa with various security initiatives ahead of the 2010 World Cup. Project 2010 asked him…  You have confirmed that the FBI will assist South Africa with dealing with crime and security issues in the build-up to 2010. How significant is this? The United States stands ready to cooperate with all of our friends and allies, including South Africa, in the area of law enforcement training and assistance. We have recently held discussions with South African law enforcement officials regarding training and assistance from the US. Several different American law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security and others, are able to provide assistance. At the moment, discussions are focused on the needs and goals of South Africa's law enforcement agencies and how the US can best assist in meeting those goals. Are you comfortable that the South African authorities have their preparations on track, particularly with regards to security? The South African government appreciates how important the 2010 World Cup is as an opportunity to showcase and market South Africa to the globe. Security and logistics are the key ingredients to the success of the World Cup, and the authorities are focusing substantial attention on these issues at the moment. The US staged successful and peaceful World Cup in 1994. What lessons can South Africa take from the US, particularly with hosting an event of this magnitude? Preparation and coordination are the most important elements to staging a safe, successful large scale event. The coordinating committee takes the lead in bringing together all stakeholders and necessary support groups, and creates a coherent team. Efficient, coordinated communications among the organisers and with the public also greatly assist in heading off difficulties. These types of events require a tremendous amount of work but, luckily, there have been many such world-scale events in the last 20 years, so countries have many past examples to learn from, model and improve upon. What do you see as the greatest legacy the 2010 World Cup will bring to South Africa and the rest of the continent? Soccer - the 'beautiful game' - is one of the most popular sports in the world. Just being associated with the World Cup - whether you host it, win it or just do well in it - puts your country on the world stage and brings great pride to your citizens. The 2010 World Cup will make history by being the first one on the African continent. All African countries should see this as an opportunity to showcase the richness of their continent and cultures as thousands of tourists and, importantly, television cameras come to South Africa for an intensive period of time. Even in the United States where soccer is not as popular or widely-watched as in many parts of the world, the World Cup makes headlines. A successful, safe World Cup will show the world that South Africa is a dynamic, economic powerhouse, a great tourist destination, and the anchor of the African continent, leading it into a richer, more developed future. more interviews... |
