Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
STATEMENT BY FOREIGN MINISTER DR NKOSAZANA DLAMINI ZUMA TO THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT MINISTERIAL MEETING IN NEW YORK DURING THE 55TH SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE MILLENNIUM ASSEMBLY
14 September 2000
Excellencies,
Distinguished Ambassadors and Delegates
It is an honour for me to declare open this meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Countries.
Our meeting this year is taking place in the context of the Millennium Summit at which heads of State or Government, last week, adopted a historic Declaration which clearly outlines the future vision and priorities of the United Nations.
The Millennium Declaration is historic, especially for us, because after a long struggle, and due to our unity of purpose and collective determination, we have at last secured global consensus on a wide range of issues of fundamental importance to the NAM. I wish to express a special word of appreciation to the secretary-general for his Millennium Report, which formed the basis for the Millennium Summit.
It is my hope that this Ministerial meeting will concentrate on how best we can follow up the important decisions contained in the Millennium eclaration. Much of the progress and success we have achieved is due to the coherent programme of the NAM and the G77 and the constructive dialogue that we have sought to promote with the North.
The NAM has for a decade engaged in dialogue with the G8 and the EU to develop a partnership to jointly address the major challenges facing humanity.
We welcome the success of the first-ever South Summit held in Havana, Cuba under the skilful chairmanship of President Obasanjo and the subsequent collective dialogue with the G8 leaders. This collective engagement and dialogue contributed to the positive outcome of the Millennium Summit upon which we must now build.
The NAM has always recognised the central and indispensable role of the United Nations in global affairs. With the adoption of the Millennium Declaration, we need to work in a concerted manner in all multilateral institutions if we are to realise the targets set in the Declaration.
We have to enhance the role of the NAM in the 21st Century and ensure that we provide appropriate leadership to determine the international agenda for peace and development.
The Chair of the Movement, President Mbeki, challenged us last year to be relevant and efficient in a rapidly changing globalized world and encourage us to review our working methods so that we function efficiently and do not move at the pace of the slowest among us.
I wish to record the Chair's appreciation for the initiative of the CoB in recommending a consensus declaration for us to adopt today instead of the usual lengthy communique. The declaration reaffirms the principles and decisions of the Movement articulated in Cartegena in April 2000 and highlights significant developments since then.
But clearly this change is not enough. The Millennium Summit issued a Declaration that contains very important positions, many that are in line with the principles of the Movement. There is the Brahimi Report which contains important issues about the operations of the United Nations. I hope that in the coming weeks the CoB will discuss this matters thoroughly.
Before concluding, I would like to report that I have recently received letters from three Members of the Movement requesting that the Former Republic of Yugoslavia be allowed to participate in the activities of our Movement. My initial consultation indicate clearly that this is a complex matter which requires further attention if we are to reach consensus on the subject. I am therefore referring the matter to the Co-ordinating Bureau to examine all aspects surrounding this issue and prepare a report for the Chair.