South Africa: NAM needs more unity

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, July 14 (UPI) -- The Non-Aligned Movement needs to be more unified to deal with the many challenges its members face, a South African official says.

South Africa's International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane told NAM members Monday at a meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, that its efforts to wipe out poverty can only be accomplished with a common purpose, BuaNews, the South African government news service, reported.

"South Africa is of the strong view that our august movement must continue to be better organized, coordinated and coherent," Nkoana Mashabane said, asserting that more unity is needed among NAM members to address food security, the H1N1 pandemic, fuel price hikes and climate change.

"Our struggle to eradicate poverty and hunger cannot be won if the crises stated above are not mitigated and overcome," she said.

NAM member foreign ministers held a two-day preparatory meeting in Egypt Tuesday ahead of the organization's two-day 15th annual summit convening Wednesday, BuaNews said.