Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will chair the 3^rd Extra-ordinary session of the Executive Council of the African Union from Wednesday, 21^st May to Sunday, 25^th May 2003 in Sun City, North West Province, South Africa.

The Executive Council meeting to be attended by Foreign Ministers from all 53 member-states of the African Union will primarily consider issues relating to the implementation of decisions taken by Heads of State and Government during the launch of the African Union in July 2002 in Durban. In this regard, the meeting will discuss the following issues:

• Common African Defence and Security Policy
• The new structure of the Commission
• Progress report on the election of the AU Commissioners
• Scale of assessment for member-states
• The link between the AU and the African Diaspora

The Executive Council meeting will be preceded by the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee meeting on Tuesday, 20^th May 2003, to discuss a proposal for the scale of assessment for member-states. The Ad Hoc committee consists of Ministers from South Africa, Namibia, Malawi, Chad, Mauritius, Equatorial-Guinea, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria and Libya.

The Executive Council of Ministers meeting will culminate in the OAU/AU 40^th Anniversary Celebrations that will be held at the Johannesburg Stadium on Sunday 25 May 2003 from 10h00 which will be addressed by among others President Thabo Mbeki.

For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853.

Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs

Private Bag X152

Pretoria

0001