International

International

15th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement

The summit was held in Sharm El-Sheik, a holiday and tourist resort town of Egypt at the Southern tip of Sinai Peninsula from 11-16 July 2009.

Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organisation as usual was represented by a ten member international delegation as follows:-

1- Mr. Ahmed Hamrouch – President
2- Mr. Nouri Abdul Razzak Hussain, Secretary – General
3- Mr. E.A. Vidyasekera, Coordinator of the Secretariat
4- Mr. Moheb El Samrah – Member of the Secretariat
5- Mr. Toshio Akiniwa, Representative-Director of Japan AALA
6- Madam Aya Takada, Interpreter, Member of Japan AALA
7- Mr. Hiraku Sugawara, Member of International Bureau of Japanese Communist Party.
8- Mr. Yasuo Ogata, Vice-Chair of Japanese Communist Party
9- Mr. Masato Mizutani, Executive Committee Member of National Confederation of Trade Unions (ZENROREN)
10- Mr. Hiroshi Takakasaki, Secretary-General of Japan Council Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (MIHOM GENSURKYO)

AAPSO was one of the very few civil society organisations represented at this state level gathering. Nevertheless AAPSO continue to play its significant role in the movement. On the eve of the NAM Summit AAPSO held an international seminar focusing the future direction of the Non-Aligned Movement. The contributions at the seminar was compiled into a booklet and was distributed at the summit. In addition the speech of the President contained the role of the Afro-Asian Peoples Movement specially the importance of the civil society in pressuring the NAM states for good governance, eradication of corruption, upholding democracy and human rights.

The statement also high-lighted the climatic change and its effect on economic development, specially in agriculture and food production. As the financial crisis and economic recession has impacted on the developing countries adversely, need for greater unity and mobilization of the resources to improve the development of south countries was stressed.

AAPSO calls for an alternative paradigm for the economic development of the south countries as enunciated by the expert commission setup by the United Nations General Assembly under Professor Joseph Stiglitz. The statement calls for the reform of IMF and World Bank where developing countries will have a stronger say.

During the summit conference, AAPSO delegates had contacted several leaders of states as and when the time permitted. These meetings helped to renew contacts and also brief the aspirations of the civil society. AAPSO hopes to popularise this message among the civil society thereby enlightening the people for the right direction of the future action of NAM.

Permanent Secretariat of AAPSO