S Africa president blames militarism for global instability

South African President Jacob Zuma said here on Friday that the use of military force to resolve conflicts could only lead to global instability. "Militarism is causing global instability and is becoming a solution whenever the world faces conflict. In Africa, Libya has been a recent case and other areas in the world," Zuma said at the 24th Congress of the Socialist International (SI) in Cape Town. The president took Western powers to task for trying to dictate other countries how to run their affairs, saying: "This undermines possibilities for lasting solutions that are in the interest of the populations facing conflicts." He urged the IS to become a more effective association to prevent unilateral decisions from being made by the world's politically powerful. He said efforts should be made to address the challenges facing humanity today in line with the theme: strengthening democracy, promoting multilateral cooperation and creating a new culture of solidarity among nations. Zuma praised key economic players, particularly China and Brazil, for their role in meeting the challenges of globalization in the last two decades. "We need global technologies to address some challenges like global warming and health among others," he said. The South African ruling African National Congress is hosting the congress of the Socialist International, the worldwide organization that brings together 162 political parties and organizations from across the globe. The congress, with the theme "for a new internationalism and a new culture of solidarity, kicked off on Thursday and will end on Sept. 1.