The 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) began today in Kampala, urging developing countries to bolster unity in the face of current challenges. Gen Jeje Odongo, Uganda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, emphasized the relevance of the Bandung Principles, the foundation of NAM, as he addressed the Preparatory Meeting of the Senior Officials for the NAM Summit at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
The Bandung Principles, established in 1955, include respect for human rights, sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality among races, non-interference in internal affairs, right to self-defense, non-use of collective defense pacts for the benefit of great powers, non-use of pressure or threats of aggression, and peaceful resolution of international conflicts.
Minister Odongo highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the developing world, such as high debt levels, terrorism, health crises, and foreign interference. He stressed the need to uphold these principles to address the current global issues.
As the host minister for the 120 member countries, Uganda assumed the chairmanship for the Summit for the next five years, succeeding Azerbaijan. The theme for the summit, “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” aims to advocate for fairness in the global pursuit of prosperity.
Amb. Adonia Ayebare, the Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations, was elected as the Chairperson for the Senior Official Meeting of NAM. Representatives from various countries expressed the importance of treating all sovereign nations equally and condemned external aggression.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, urged NAM member countries to join the Arab Caucus in solidarity against Israeli aggression. He emphasized the devastation faced by the Palestinian people over the past century and called for efforts to prevent a promised “Israeli Second Nakba (catastrophe) in Gaza.”
Mansour also supported South Africa’s bid for justice for the people of Palestine at the International Court of Justice. The call to address aggression against Palestine was echoed by Iran, Pakistan, Lebanon, and Mauritania, among others.
Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Abukar Osman, praised the NAM Summit for providing the country with an additional voice. However, he emphasized the importance of respecting Somalia’s territorial integrity, avoiding interference in its internal affairs, and recognizing the unification process of all Somalis.
The Non-Aligned Movement, comprising 120 countries, was founded during the Cold War to advance the interests of developing countries without formal alignment with major power blocs.
