Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, has been elected as the chairman of the senior officials meeting during the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala. Nominated by the host country, Ayebare’s election took place during the opening session of the five-day summit at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort Hotel, where no objections were raised by delegates from the 120 NAM countries.
The senior officials meeting serves as a precursor to the gathering of foreign affairs ministers from the NAM countries. Ayebare expressed his excitement and gratitude for the confidence placed in him, pledging to lead the meeting with transparency and openness. He urged the delegates to extend the same support provided to their colleagues and friends from Azerbaijan.
In his address, Ayebare outlined the primary task for the senior officials, which is to adopt the Final Outcome Document and the Kampala Political Declaration. He emphasized that the final outcome document, previously adopted in Baku, Azerbaijan, should not be reopened, suggesting that any considerations should only involve technical updates between Baku and Kampala.
Ayebare, who also holds the position of deputy chairperson of the organizing committee for the NAM summit, highlighted the importance of concluding the senior officials’ work in a timely manner as the summit’s ministerial meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Founded in 1961 during a time of global division between the USA and the former Soviet Union, NAM serves as the largest grouping of states worldwide after the United Nations. Its establishment aimed to assert the independence of developing countries and advance their collective interests.
