Veteran Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, a fierce critic of Western dominance in world affairs, leaves this week to join a dialogue o­n the sidelines of the G8 summit in o­ne of his last international appearances before stepping down in October.

Mahathir, 77, in his capacity as chairman of the 116-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), will join a June 1 informal dialogue between rich and poor nations as part of the summit of Group of Eight industrialised nations in France.

Asia's longest-serving elected leader is expected to address wide-ranging issues close to his heart, including western dominance in such fields as global politics, trade and finance.