South Africa Participates in NAM COVID-19 Summit

President Cyril Ramaphosa today participated in a virtual COVID-19 Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

The summit was convened by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in his capacity as Chairperson of the NAM.

South Africa, as Chairperson of the African Union, was invited as one of the selected countries for the Africa region, said the Presidency on Monday.

Participants are NAM Heads of State and government from all geographical regions to be convened as the NAM Contact Group.

Representatives of several organisations, including the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, the President of the UN General Assembly, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, are participating in the summit.

Entitled “United against COVID-19”, the virtual summit is an opportunity for the Movement to promote the values of international cooperation, in ensuring a concerted and coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The founding principles guiding NAM, places multilateralism, and global solidarity, at the centre of responding to contemporary global challenges, and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“President Ramaphosa will use the opportunity to highlight South Africa and Africa’s response to the pandemic and call for countries of the NAM to use this crisis to strengthen solidarity and cooperation in the fight against COVID-19,” said the Presidency.

The outcomes of the summit will include the adoption of a Declaration underlining the importance of international solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19, and the establishment of a task force to develop a database reflecting the medical, social and humanitarian needs of NAM members in the fight against COVID-19. – SAnews.gov.za