Iran Invites Ghana’s President to NAM Summit

Iranian Minister of Sports and Youths Mohammad Abbasi, who is in Ghana for an official visit, met with the president of the African country to invite him to a summit meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran later this summer.

Abbassi, heading an Iranian delegation, arrived in Accra on Monday as part of his African tour, and met with John Evans Atta Mills to extend President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s formal invitation to him.

Abbassi had earlier met with his Ghanaian counterpart Kofi Humado.

During the meeting, Abbassi underlined the necessity for the further expansion of the two countries’ relations, specially in sports fields.

“Further sports cooperation between Iran and Ghana can be influential in strengthening the friendly bonds and deepening of the two countries’ ties,” Abbasi noted.

The 16th NAM summit will be held in Tehran from August 26 to 31.

Iran will assume the rotating presidency of the movement from Egypt for three years during the upcoming summit.

NAM is comprised of some 120 member states and 17 observer countries.

NAM is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. NAM is the largest grouping of countries outside of the United Nations.

NAM member states represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations’ members and comprise 55% of the world population, particularly countries considered to be developing.