Palestine question – UN African Meeting (Windhoek) – Press release

UN AFRICAN MEETING IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS

IN WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA, 20-22 APRIL

The  United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian  People has convened the  United Nations  African Meeting in Support of the Inalienable Rights  of the Palestinian People,  which will be held from 20 to 22 April at the Conference Centre of the  Safari Court Hotel in Windhoek,  Namibia.  The meeting is organized in  accordance with General Assembly resolutions 53/39 and 53/40 of 2 December 1998.

The  Committee has  been  much  concerned at  the breakdown  of  the peace process following  the  freezing of  the  implementation  of the  Wye  River agreements  and the increased  hardship and  hopelessness of the Palestinian people living  in the occupied  Palestinian territory, including  Jerusalem.  The  meeting  should address  the most  pressing issues  in this  regard and to promote  intensified  political  and  other  action  by  African  and  other countries  in support  of the  attainment of  the inalienable  rights of the Palestinian people and for the success of the peace efforts.

The opening session of the  African Meeting will take place  at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 20  April, in the Conference Centre of the Safari  Court Hotel.  It will be addressed by:   the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Namibia, Theo-Ben Gurirab; Under-Secretary-General and  United Nations Special Coordinator  in the  Occupied   Territories  and  Representative   of  the  United   Nations Secretary-General,  Chinmaya Gharekhan;  the Speaker  of Namibia's  National Assembly and  member of the  Inter-Parliamentary Council, Moses  Tjitendero; the Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Ibra Deguene Ka; the Representative of Palestine; and  representatives  of governments,  intergovernmental  organizations  and United Nations bodies and agencies.

Plenary I,  in the afternoon of  Tuesday, 20 April, is entitled "Promoting the inalienable rights of the  Palestinian people —  a key to peace in  the Middle East".   The speakers will brief the participants on:   the status of the peace  process at the end of  the interim period and efforts towards the realization  by  the  Palestinian  people of its  inalienable  rights; the situation in the  occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem; and the  role of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth  Geneva Convention.  Speakers include the Secretary of the Committee for Israeli- Palestinian Dialogue, Latif Dori; the  former Co-Director of  the American Near  East Refugee Aid (ANERA), Ibrahim  Matar; the  Director of the  Israeli/Palestine Center  for Research  and Information, Gershon Baskin; and the former Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Badr Hmaman.

On Wednesday, 21 April,  the  morning  and  afternoon  sessions will  be devoted to the  role of Africa in supporting  the inalienable rights of  the Palestinian people.   Presentations will focus  on action  by African States towards  promoting the inalienable  rights of  the Palestinian people within the United Nations system, the  Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the Non-Aligned Movement; the experience of African States in the struggle for independence and decolonization; the experience of  Africa in the quest for economic independence and sustainable development; prospects for the promotion of bilateral economic cooperation,  trade and the establishment of business  partnerships with the  Palestinian people;  and the  role of civil society in  promoting  instruction- building  and in  enhancing the  role  of women in society.

Speakers will include:   the Editor, Southern  African Political  Economic Monthly,  Nyasha  Masiwa; the  Director  for  Africa  of  the Department  of Foreign Affairs  of Tunisia, Othman Jerandi; a Professor in the Department of Political Science, University  of Abuja,  Umar  Birai; the  Permanent Observer  of  the OAU  to the  United  Nations,  Amadou Kebe;  the Director-General of  the  Department of  Women  Affairs  of Namibia,  Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah; the Head of the African Section of the Afro-Asian  People's Solidarity   Organization,  Julien  Randriamasivelo;  a lawyer in Bamako, Sohoyata Maiga;  the Rector  of the  Universite Cheikh  Anta Diop de  Dakar, Moustapha Sourang; the former Director of the  United Nations  Information Centre in  Harare, Ceciwa  Khonje; and  a Professor  of English  Literature, Birzeit University, Nahla Asali.

Plenary III, on Thursday morning, 22  April, is entitled "Celebrating  the new  Millennium in a global vision of peace and reconciliation — the Bethlehem 2000  Project of  the Palestinian  Authority",  and will  provide information on  goals and status  of the Project, as well as on the role of the international community in its implementation.   Speakers include  the coordinator  General of  the Bethlehem  2000 Project  Authority,  Dr. Nabeel Kassis; the Executive  Director of  the  Middle  East Council  of Churches, Jerusalem, Dr. Harry Hagopian; and the  General Secretary of the  Council of Churches of Namibia, Reverend N.Z. Nakamhela.

It is envisaged that  the main points of the proceeding will be summarized in a  brief final  document, which will  be circulated in the afternoon of Thursday, 22 April.   The closing session of the African Meeting will take place on at 3 p.m. Thursday, 22 April, in the conference room of the Safari Court Conference Centre.

A report  on the proceeding  of the African Meeting will be issued as a publication  of the Division  for Palestinian Rights of  the United Nations Secretariat in due course.

Invitations  to  attend  the  meeting have  been  sent to  all  member and observer States, United Nations agencies, bodies  and programme, as well  as interested intergovernmental organizations and all African  non-governmental organizations  accredited  to  the  Committee on the Exercise   of  the Inalienable  Rights of  the Palestinian  People.  A number of other non-governmental organizations interested in the subject  have been  invited to attend the meeting, as well.

The working languages of the meeting will be English and French.

Registration with the United Nations Secretariat will take  place at the Conference  Centre of  the Safari Court  Hotel, corner of  Auas and Aviation Roads, Windhoek, on:   Friday, 16 April,  from 10 a.m. to 5  p.m.; Saturday, 17 April, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.;  and Monday, 19 April, from 10  a.m. to 5 p.m.  Registration  on  Tuesday,  20 April,  will begin at 8 a.m.  All participants, observers and media representatives  are kindly requested  to avail  themselves of  the advance registration during these hours.  From Tuesday, 13 April, the Meeting Secretariat will be operating at the Conference Centre  of  the Safari Court  Hotel, Room  Gamsberg,  phone/fax: (264-61)228-542/256-899.

________________

* Reissued to correct symbol of press release. It had been previously issued as PAL/1869.

* *** *