Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
5 July 2001
The 37th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government will meet from 9-11 July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia. The Summit will be preceded by the 74th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers from 5-7 July 2001 and the 13th Session of the Committee of Ambassadors and other Plenipotentiaries from 2-4 July 2001.
In view of the importance of these Meetings, it is expected that President Mbeki will attend the OAU Heads of State Summit. Dr NC Dlamini-Zuma, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will lead the South African delegation to the Council of Ministers and Mr S Pityana, Director-General of the Department to Foreign Affairs will lead the South African delegation to the Committee of Ambassadors and Plenipotentiaries. South Africa's Ambassador to the OAU, Mr K Mamabolo will also attend the proceedings.
The OAU 2001 Summit meetings will present a valuable forum for the member states of the OAU to discuss continental issues and in particular strategise on the future, political and socio-economic development of the African Continent.
At the Meetings in Lusaka the Secretary-General of the OAU will report to member states on issues such as the financial situation of the OAU, the activities of the OAU Secretariat, the Illicit Proliferation, Circulation and Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Africa and the Implementation of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community. Other important areas of discussion will be the conflict areas on the Continent and the transition of the OAU to the African Union.
It is also expected that the Protocol to the African Economic Community Treaty Relating to the Pan-African Parliament will be open for signature in Lusaka.
As Co-ordinator of Countries of the Region and the OAU Troika on the issue of the Comoros, South Africa will report on the implementation process of the All Party Framework Agreement to return the Comoros to constitutional democracy. Since good progress is being made with the process and since the parties to the Agreement have confirmed their commitment to it during a recent ministerial visit, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr NC Dlamini-Zuma, it is expected that the Council of Ministers will consider lifting the existing measures introduced against some of the parties.
The meetings will also afford the South African delegations the opportunity to inform their counterparts of the progress made with the planning and hosting of the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) as well as the preparations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD).
Discussions on the Millennium Africa Recovery Program (MAP) and the Programme of Action will be held with a view towards obtaining the official endorsement of the Heads of State and Government.
Please contact Ms Basetsana Thokoane:
Cell No : 083 443 7740