In the face of new challenges today, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) must remain, more than ever before, relevant, Vice-President James Michel told the NAM Summit in the Malaysian capital Monday (February 24) evening.

The Summit was inaugurated by outgoing chairman Thabo Mbeki, the President of South Africa. The chair is now assumed by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Before the Summit, which ends today ( Tuesday February 25), foreign ministers and other senior government officials had been holding preparatory discussions on ways to revitalise the Non-Aligned Movement and to enhance its effectiveness in the existing global environment.

VP Michel said when addressing the meeting that the future success of the Movement depended on our renewed commitment in transforming decisions and initiatives into meaningful and concrete actions. Our unity, dedication and resolve should make our Movement a credible, powerful voice in the post-Cold War world order, added Mr Michel.

“Today as we face new challenges, our movement must remain, more than ever before, relevant. Our Movement can lead the way,” said the Vice-President.

He joined the other leaders who spoke before him to “strongly encourage” the government of Iraq to fully comply with the provisions of the United Nations Security Council resolution 1441. He said that after expressing concern at the heightened international tension arising from the issue of the disarmament of Iraq. He said a military confrontation in the Gulf would have far-reaching repercussions not only in the region itself but for many other countries.

“We therefore appeal for diplomacy to continue its course,” said VP Michel.

He said the same for the Israelo-Palestinian conflict.

In the context of globalisation and cooperation, the Vice-President noted that it was important that Seychelles benefited from the extension of trade preferences for a longer period in order to facilitate our integration into the international trading system smoothly and gradually, under fair conditions.

“This would ensure that we too can be beneficiaries of globalisation,” he said.

Also of concern to small island states like Seychelles was their vulnerability. Mr Michel asked the 116-member NAM to use its influence and powerful voice to ask the United Nations Secretariat to finalise, not later than 2004, the work on the elaboration of the Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States.

Also on Monday afternoon, the Vice-President took time off from the deliberations to meet the deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mr Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi for bilateral talks.

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