19 February 2001
President Mbeki will lead the South African delegation to the 5th Extraordinary Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African Unity/African Economic Community (OAU/AEC), which will take place in Sirte, Libya from 1 to 2 March 2001.
The Summit will be preceded by the 73rd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers in Tripoli from 24 to 26 February 2001, which will be attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. An extended Session of the Council of Ministers on 27 February 2001 will prepare for the Extraordinary Summit.
The aim of the Extraordinary Summit is to "launch the African Union" and to iron out some of the issues left undecided, such as the date on which the Union becomes effective. The Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted during the Lome Summit of the OAU on 11 July 2000, however, it will only enter into force thirty days after ratification by two-thirds of the 53 Member States of the OAU/AEC, replacing the OAU Charter of 1963. The Act makes provision for the Charter to remain in force for a transitional year.
Also accompanying the President will be Ambassador Designate Ebrahim Saley, who will be handing over his credentials on Tuesday, 20 February 2001. It is expected that a South African Mission will be established in Tripoli in the near future.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
PRIVATE BAG X152
Pretoria
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