from Erlend D. Peterson, Associate International Vice President:
May I invite you and your students to attend the lectures that will be given by the Ambassador of South Africa to the United States. Will you also forward this email to those whom you feel would be interested in attending Ambassador Nhlapo’s lecture.
South Africa – His Excellency Welile Nhlapo
Topic: ASouth Africa Today: Challenges and Opportunities@
Lecture: Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - 12:00 noon in the
HBLL Library Auditorium.
Web bio:
http://www.saembassy.org/Ambassador Welile Nhlapo’s CVDuring the difficult period of struggle against apartheid, Ambassador Nhlapo made a significant contribution to the liberation movement. He began his activities as a student in the Black Consciousness Movement and together with the late Steve Biko and Tebogo Mafole, he co-authored the publication, “Black review,” in 1972 that reviewed the activities of black organizations at the time.In 1973 a banning order was issued against him and he went into exile in Botswana in 1974. During his years in exile, he became the Deputy Editor of the ANC publication, Sechaba, Head of the ANC Youth Section, and other structures of the ANC.
He later became the ANC Chief Representative in Botswana and finally before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs, became the Head of the Political Section in the ANC Secretary-General’s office and later the organization’s International Affairs department.
He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1994 and was part of the South African Government delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in 1994 when South Africa was re-admitted to the world body.
In 1995, he was appointed South African Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. In 1997, he was appointed Special Envoy to Burundi. He also served as non-resident Ambassador to Djibouti, Eritrea and Sudan.
In 1998, he was appointed Deputy Director-General responsible for Africa in the Department of Foreign Affairs. During this period, he participated in South Africa’s conflict resolution efforts in Lesotho, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros, Zimbabwe and Great Lakes region.
In 2001, he was appointed Head of the Presidential Support Unit which advised the Presidency on conflict situations in Africa and the Middle East.
Contributing to the peace process in Burundi, as South Africa’s Special Envoy, Ambassador Nhlapo formed part of the South African negotiating team assisting to find a solution to the conflict in Burundi. He was appointed deputy Head of Mission responsible for political affairs in the African Union Mission in Burundi. He later became the Head of the Political Section of the United Nations Mission in Burundi.
Shortly before assuming the post as South African Ambassador to the United States on 14 August 2007, Ambassador Nhlapo was Director in the Department of Political Affairs (Africa Division 1) at the United Nation’s Headquarters in New York.
Ambassador Nhlapo currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund in the United States of America.
Ambassador Nhlapo was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is married to Mrs Sissy Nhlapo; they have three children.
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