Israel's Netanyahu starts landmark Africa trip

Entebbe, : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Uganda on Monday for a rare tour of sub-Saharan Africa, seeking new trade partners and marking the 40th anniversary of a hostage rescue in which his brother died.

In a statement just before his departure for the four-day tour, Netanyahu called the first visit by an Israeli premier to the region in decades "historic".

The trip comes as Israel launches a $13-million aid package to strengthen economic ties and cooperation with African countries, said Netanyahu's office.

Israel would also provide African states with training in "domestic security" and health, it said.

After Uganda, Netanyahu will travel on to Kenya, Ethiopia and Rwanda, but he is also meeting other African leaders at a summit in Uganda.

"Coming on a journey like this is also very important from diplomatic, economic and security perspectives and I am pleased that Israel is going back to Africa in a big way," Netanyahu said in a statement, adding: "We are opening Africa to Israel again."

The Arab-Israeli conflict drove a wedge between African countries and the Jewish state in the 1960s.

Following wars between Israel and its neighbours in 1967 and 1973, north African nations led by Egypt put pressure on sub-Saharan African states to cut ties with Israel, which many did.

Relations were not helped by Israel's friendship with the apartheid regime in South Africa before it fell in 1994.

In an interview with Uganda's Daily Monitor newspaper ahead of his visit, Netanyahu said his visit was an attempt to thaw relations.

"I'm very open about it, that's true," Netanyahu said, according to the paper.