South Africa submits nomination of Ambassador Abdul Minty to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

Vienna – The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Minister Buyelwa Sonjica on behalf of the South African Government today, Thursday 27 November 2008, submitted the nomination of Ambassador Abdul Samad MINTY for the position of Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).  The nomination letter was presented to Ambassador Taous Feroukhi, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the IAEA.

South Africa, a founder member of the IAEA and the most advanced country in the nuclear field on the African continent, has the highest regard for the IAEA and firmly believes in a multilateral approach as the only sustainable road to overcoming the challenges and to fully utilising the opportunities of our world today. 

The anticipated rise in the use of nuclear energy will in turn increase demands on the Agency for safeguards, safety and security of nuclear installations and technical co-operation. The next Director-General would need to deal with these demands especially with regard to the diversification of energy supply from both the developed and developing world perspectives.

Ambassador Minty has extensive experience and knowledge of nuclear issues and his commitment over the past four decades to implementing the mandate of the Agency and his tireless efforts to work towards consensus is well known.  Ambassador Minty is highly respected for his integrity and even-handedness in promoting multilateralism.

This is the first time that South Africa has nominated a candidate to head an international organisation since our first democratic elections in 1994.  The South African Government believes that Ambassador Minty will serve this organisation well given his long standing commitment and involvement in this area. The IAEA will no doubt benefit from his experience and international exposure both as a seasoned diplomat and an expert on nuclear related issues.

It is against this background that the South African Government decided to propose the candidature of Ambassador Minty for the position of Director-General of the IAEA and the African Union Heads of State Summit in July 2008 decided to endorse the candidature of Ambassador Minty.

It is South Africa’s firm belief that Ambassador Minty will continue to promote the critical role the Agency must play in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and that he has the managerial and technical knowledge and experience to guide the IAEA towards finding creative solutions to deal with new questions and challenges arising from the dynamic environment in which the Agency operates.

A brief exposé on the candidature of Ambassador Minty is attached.

Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria, 0001

27 November 2008

Candidature of Ambassador Minty

In April 1973 Ambassador Minty attended the First UN-OAU Conference on Southern Africa in Oslo, Norway as a member of the Steering Committee.  Four years later in August 1977, he served as a Special Consultant at the 2nd UN-OAU Conference in Lagos, Nigeria where it was proposed to launch the World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa.  The World Campaign was established in Oslo, Norway under the patronage of President Julius Nyerere and other Front Line Heads of State, with sponsors such as Mr Olof Palme, David Steel and Coretta Scott King, wife of the late Martin Luther King.

Ambassador Minty gave evidence to the UN Security Council on South Africa’s apartheid policies in 1977 as well as the UNSC Arms Embargo Committee. Due to his expertise, the OAU requested him to give expert evidence to the UNSC on four occasions thereafter. His last appearance was on 25 May 1994, when the mandatory arms embargo against South Africa was lifted.

It has been a primary goal of South Africa's foreign policy since 1994 to reinforce our role to responsibly deal with issues related to defence products and advanced technologies in the nuclear, biological, chemical and missile fields. In so doing, we also promote the benefits which disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control hold for international peace and security for all. One of the main statutory bodies established to give effect to this policy is the South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Ambassador Minty has served as the Chairperson of this Council since June 1995.

Ambassador Minty played a significant role in South Africa’s multilateral foreign policy development as well as the transformation of the Department of Foreign Affairs after the first democratic elections in 1994.  In 1995 he was assigned by the Department to serve as advisor to South Africa’s delegation at the 1995 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Thereafter, he led South Africa’s delegation at the subsequent Review Conferences in 2000 and 2005.  As head of the Multilateral Branch from 1995 until 2004, his managerial experience and multilateral expertise proved invaluable in the process of South Africa’s reintegration into the international community. 

This is the first time that South Africa has nominated a candidate to head an international organisation since our first democratic elections in 1994.  The South African Government believes that Ambassador Minty will serve this organisation well given his long standing commitment and involvement in this area. The IAEA will no doubt benefit from his experience and international exposure both as a seasoned diplomat and an expert on nuclear related issues.

It is South Africa’s firm belief that Ambassador Minty will continue to promote the critical role the Agency must play in promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and that he has the managerial and technical knowledge and experience to guide the IAEA towards finding creative solutions to deal with new questions and challenges arising from the dynamic environment in which the Agency operates.

Curriculum Vitae of Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty

Current Positions

• Deputy Director-General:  Ambassador and Special Representative for Disarmament and NEPAD. South African Department of Foreign Affairs, Pretoria.

• Personal Representative of the President on the NEPAD Steering Committee.

• South African Governor, Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna since 1995.

• Chairperson of the South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction since 1995.

• Member of the Board of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa.

• Representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the South African National Conventional Arms Control Committee.

• Vice-Convenor of the Council of the South Centre, Geneva.

Previous Positions

 Chairperson of the Nuclear Suppliers Group: 2007 - 2008.

• President of the IAEA General Conference: 2006.

• Deputy Director-General responsible for Multilateral Affairs in the South African Department of Foreign Affairs: 1995 – 2004.

• Acting Director-General of the South African Department of Foreign Affairs for three separate periods, totalling over two years.

• Member of the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters: 2001-2002.

• Chairperson of the South African Council for Space Affairs:  1995 - 2006.

• Director – World Campaign against Military and Nuclear Collaboration with South Africa, Oslo:  1979 -1994.

• Honorary Secretary – British Anti-Apartheid Movement, London:  1962 -1995.

 Academic

1994-95: Senior Research Fellow - International Peace Research Institute, Oslo (PRIO).
1969-75: Research Fellow, Richardson Institute for Conflict and Peace Research, London.
1969:  MSc (Econ) International Relations (University College London).
1968:  BSc (Econ) International Relations (University College London).

Career

Ambassador Minty played a significant role in South Africa’s multilateral foreign policy development as well as the transformation of the Department of Foreign Affairs after the first democratic elections in 1994.

• Chairperson of the first NSG outreach meeting in Vienna in 1997.

• Advisor to South Africa’s delegation during the 1995 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).  Leader of South Africa’s delegations at the NPT Review Conferences in 2000, 2005 as well as the preparatory meetings for the 2010 Review Conference. 

• Involved in international negotiations aimed at banning anti-personnel landmines and the illicit proliferation of small arms.

• Participated in various UN and other seminars, conferences and hearings on South Africa’s military and nuclear capability and other related subjects, including sanctions against Rhodesia and the United Nations’ role in Namibia.

• Was called on four occasions to give evidence as an individual expert to the UN Security Council.  Made representations to and appeared before the UNSC Arms Embargo Committee (1977-1994). 

• Attended numerous international conferences on Southern Africa including all but two Commonwealth Heads of Government Conferences between 1961 and 1995.

• Worked closely with the African Group and Non-Aligned members of the IAEA over South Africa’s nuclear programme and attended annual General Conferences of the IAEA in Vienna to lobby for sanctions against the Apartheid Regime.

• Member of Steering Committee of the first UN-OAU Conference on Southern Africa, Oslo, April 1973 and Special Consultant for the second UN-OAU Conference, Lagos, August 1977.

• Invited to various OAU Summit Conferences as special guest.  Guest of Zambian Government during Mr Nelson Mandela’s visit to Zambia in March 1990.

• Responsible for overseeing logistical arrangements and advised on policy issues when South Africa hosted UNCTAD in 1996, the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in 1998, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1999, the World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in 2001, the first African Union Summit in 2001 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.

Publications

Ambassador Minty has written extensively for the United Nations and various anti-apartheid and solidarity movements on topics related to the fight against apartheid, human rights, disarmament and the arms embargo against South Africa.

Personal

Born on 31 October 1939.

Married to Khatija Minty