17TH SUMMIT OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT (NAM) ISLA MARGARITA, VENEZUELA, 17-18 SEPTEMBER 2016
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican will lead the delegation of Malaysia to the 17th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which will be held from 17 to 18 September 2016 in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. YB Deputy Foreign Minister will be accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The 17th NAM Summit, which coincides with the 55th anniversary of NAM, will be hosted by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as the incoming Chair of NAM (2016-2019). Venezuela succeeds Iran which held the Chairmanship from 2012 to 2016. The NAM Summit, held every three years, is a forum for representatives from 120 NAM Member Countries to discuss and evaluate the implementation of decisions taken during the 16th NAM Summit held in Tehran, Iran in August 2012 as well as to formulate a response on the current regional and international issues, particularly in the political, security and development fields.
At the 17th NAM Summit, YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican will deliver a statement highlighting Malaysia’s commitment and initiatives towards the strengthening of NAM, in line with the Summit’s theme “Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development”. It also provides an opportunity for YB Deputy Foreign Minister to meet with his NAM counterparts and exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
Malaysia’s participation in the Summit is a reflection and reaffirmation of Malaysia’s continued commitment to the principles and cause of NAM.
Malaysia became a NAM Member State in 1970, and was the former Chair of NAM from 2003 to 2006. Since 2002, Malaysia has been a member of the NAM’s Committee on Palestine. Under its Chairmanship, Malaysia hosted the 13th NAM Summit in Kuala Lumpur (2003), 1st Ministerial Meeting of NAM on the Advancement of Women in Putrajaya (2005), 6th Conference of the Ministers of Information of NAM in Kuala Lumpur (2005), and the Ministerial Meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau in Putrajaya (2006). Malaysia, at its own expense, also established the NAM News Network (NNN) and the NAM Institute for the Advancement of Women (NIEW) in 2005.
Putrajaya
16 September 2016