Minister Dlamini Zuma to Attend NAM Ministerial Troika Meeting in France 2-3 May 2003

Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, accompanied by Foreign Affairs, Acting Director-General, Adbul Minty will depart South Africa on Wednesday 30 April for Paris, France ahead of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Troika meeting scheduled for 2-3 May 2003. The NAM Troika consists of the former, current and the next Chairpersons of the Movement, namely South Africa, Malaysia and Cuba.

The NAM Ministerial Troika meeting takes place against the background of the decision of the NAM Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February 2003 to take the necessary step to ensure the revitalisation of the NAM to meet the challenges facing it in the 21st century including to lend its support to efforts aimed at pushing back the frontiers of poverty and under-development in developing countries.

In this regard, the NAM Summit in Malaysia decided, among others, to strengthen the office of the Chairperson as well as the NAM Ministerial Troika in order to enable the movement to take its rightful place on international issues as well as to respond to current international challenges.

Accordingly the meeting will discuss the role of NAM and the UN in the reconstruction of and provision of humanitarian aid to Iraq.

Minister Dlamini Zuma returned recently from a two-day visit to France and Germany where she held bilateral political discussions with her French and German counterparts, Ministers Dominique de Villepin and Joscha Fischer to discuss the current international situation with a focus on Iraq and the Middle East including the current peace initiatives in the continent of Africa.

For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs

P/Bag X152

Pretoria

0001

29 April 2003