'Friends of the Chair' meet to discuss Summit outcomes

15 July 2002 - South African President Thabo Mbeki has invited 25 countries to serve as "Friends of the Chair" for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in an effort to find an approach that will help resolve the remaining differences and achieve a global consensus at the Summit. The group will hold its first meeting in New York on 17 July.

The South African initiative grew out of discussions between President Mbeki and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan during the Group of Eight Summit in Kananaskis, Canada last month. According to South African UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, the leaders of the G8 were among the first to accept President Mbeki's invitation.

Read full United Nations’ press release.