Dennis Francis, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has lauded the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Kampala, Uganda, as a success. He extended his sincere congratulations to the Government of Uganda for hosting the summit and expressed gratitude for the warm welcome received by his delegation.
The closing ceremony of the NAM summit took place at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort Hotel, with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni officially assuming the rotating three-year chairmanship of NAM from Azerbaijan. President Museveni also delivered a closing statement during the session.
President Museveni is set to chair the Group of 77 and China (G77+China), with the summit officially opening on Sunday, January 21, at the same venue. Francis wished Uganda success in chairing these important groups, highlighting the critical role they play in the UN system and multilateralism. NAM represents 55% of the global population, and the G77+China is the largest negotiating bloc of developing countries in the United Nations.
Francis expressed appreciation for the generous welcome received in Uganda. The summit marked a significant moment with the inclusion of South Sudan, bringing the total NAM membership to 121 countries, including observer countries and organizations. The NAM was founded in 1961 to allow developing countries to assert their independence amid the Cold War dynamics between the USA and the Soviet Union.
The G77+China, established in 1964, comprises over 130 member states and plays a crucial role in advancing the interests of developing countries.
