23 February 2001
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, who returned from Iran on Friday 23 February, will depart South Africa on Saturday 24 February to attend the OAU's 73rd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers from 24-26 February in Tripoli, Libya.
The Council of Ministers meeting will precede 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 place in Sirte, Libya from 1 to 2 March 2001. president Thabo Mbeki will lead the South African delegation.
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.
Ambassador Ebrahim Saley, who handed over his credentials on Tuesday, 20 February 2001, will join the South African delegation at the summit. South Africa hopes to establish a diplomatic mission in Tripoli soon.
For more information contact Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
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