Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, supported by International Relations and Cooperation Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe and Defence Deputy Minister Thabang Makwetla, is currently leading the South African delegation at the Special Session of the Assembly of the African Union, underway in Tripoli, Libya. The theme of the special session is ‘consideration and resolution of conflicts in Africa’.
The decision to hold the session was adopted at the 13th Ordinary Session held in Sirte, Libya on 3 July 2009.
The special session which takes place on the margins of the celebrations to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Libyan revolution and the ascension to power by Col. Muammar Gaddafi will, among other things, focuses on:
* The general assessment of the conflict situations in Africa, with the main focus on Somalia, Darfur and the Great Lakes
* Somalia to further support the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) through the strengthening of institutions and further enhancing the security situation of the country
* Darfur to enhance security and the full deployment of (United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), more cooperation between the Government of Sudan and the peacekeeping mission and the conflict between Chad and Sudan
* Great Lakes with a view to explore ways and means of consolidating peace where it obtains, security and stability where they are still absent.
In addition the session will consider challenges of post-conflict reconstruction and stabilisation with specific reference to the roles to be played by member states and the Regional mechanism.
The special summit will also discuss the modalities of a strong and effective institutional framework towards the operationalisation of the African peace and security architecture.
Deputy President Motlanthe and his delegation return to South Africa on 1 September 2009.
For more information contact:
Nomfanelo Kota
Cell: 082 459 3787
Issued by: Department of International Relations and Cooperation
31 August 2009
