President Thabo Mbeki to attend NAM Summit, Havana, Cuba

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 Non-Aligned Movement Summit under the theme “Towards a more dynamic and cohesive NAM: Challenges of the 21st Century” in Havana, Cuba from Friday – Saturday, 15-16 September 2006.

President Mbeki and his delegation will participate in this Summit within the context of South Africa’s commitment to promote South-South co-operation and support for agendas of the South through, among others, engagement through the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). South Africa is also the current chair of the G-77 + China which is the largest coalition of developing countries in the United Nations.

South Africa’s term as member of the NAM Troika will come to an end should Egypt’s offer to host the Summit in 2009 is 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 an under-development;
 Peace and security; and
 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 Assembly’s 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.

Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853

℅ Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001

10 September 2006