JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 29, SPA -- French President NicolasSarkozy wrapped up a two-day official visit to South AfricaFriday with multimillion dollar investment deals and anemotional trip to Robben island and its most famous formerinmate, Nelson Mandela, according to The Associated Press. French engineering company Alstom on Friday signed a dealworth ¤1.36 billion (about US$2 billion) to equip a newcoal power station for South Africa, as Sarkozy vowed tohelp South Africa overcome its acute electricity shortage. A team of French engineers will arrive next week to advisethe government and state utility Eskom on possiblesolutions to the electricity shortage, which has seriouslydisrupted the vital mining sector, he said. French nuclear reactor constructor Areva has bid againstWestinghouse of the United States for the contract to builda second nuclear reactor in South Africa. Sarkozy, who took office last May, outlined in a speech tothe South African parliament Thursday his hopes for a newand more open era in relations between France _ which isstill often regarded with suspicion for propping up corruptgovernments in its former colonies _ and Africa. --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/531753