Havana, Cuba
10 September 2006
Pretoria - South African President, Thabo Mbeki, supported by Foreign
Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and Deputy Minister Aziz Pahad, will lead
the South African delegation to the NAM Summit under the theme âTowards a more
dynamic and cohesive NAM: Challenges of the 21st Centuryâ in Havana, Cuba from
Friday, 15 - Saturday, 16 September 2006.
President Mbeki and his delegation will participate in this Summit within
the context of South Africaâs commitment to promote South-South co-operation
and support for agendas of the South through, among others, engagement through
the NAM. South Africa is also the current chair of the Group of 77 (G-77) plus
China which is the largest coalition of developing countries in the United
Nations (UN).
South Africaâs term as member of the NAM Troika will come to an end should
Egyptâs offer to host the Summit in 2009 be accepted. As a former Chair, it
will nevertheless be expected of South Africa to remain an active member and
also an ongoing advocate of the African Agenda.
NAM is currently faced with three principle challenges:
* poverty and under-development
* peace and security
* restructuring of the global exercise of power.
The Summit itself will address these and other important global issues,
including the priorities, principles, goals and common objectives of the
movement, on the eve of the UN General Assemblyâs 61st session.
Minister Dlamini Zuma is expected to participate in meetings of the former
chairs of the movement and serves on the important NAM Committee on Palestine
that is expected to meet on the margins of the Summit, particularly in the
light of recent and ongoing developments in the Middle East.
Enquires:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
10 September 2006
