14th Heads of State and Government Meeting of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)-Vice-President Belmont at Havana NAM summit |13 September 2006

Senior officials from the non-aligned countries started discussions on Monday September 11 to prepare for the ministerial and summit sections of the meeting.

Heads of State and Government will begin addressing the summit on September 15 in the presence of Cuban leader Fidel Castro Ruz.

The 13th NAM summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2003.

A communique from the Office of the Vice-President says that Seychelles’ delegation at the summit will join other world leaders to reflect on the challenges facing the world, and the changes and adjustments the movement has to make at this particular juncture in human history.

VP Belmont will use the forum for Seychelles to argue the case, once again, of small island developing states, the communique adds.

The Non-Aligned Movement was created in the 1950s when Heads of States belonging to the first post-colonial generation of leaders from Africa and Asia met in Bandung, Indonesia, to identify and assess world issues of the time and pursue joint policies in international relations. During the early days of the movement, its actions were a key factor in the decolonization process, which led to the attainment of freedom and independence by the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions of the world. 

One of the principles of the movement is the promotion of mutual interests and cooperation.

VP Belmont is accompanied by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Patrick Pillay, Ambassador Noellie Alexander and Special adviser Marc Marengo.