Ugandan Delegation in S. Africa Ahead of Hosting NAM Summit

A delegation from Uganda led by the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa are currently in South Africa for a two-day visit ahead of the 19^th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit scheduled to take place at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala from January 15^th to 20^th 2024.

Uganda will assume the chairmanship from 2023 to 2026 under the theme “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.”

According to Waiswa, other delegates currently in South Africa to meet with Dr. Zane Dangor, the Director General of Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), include Amb. Adonia Ayebare, the Uganda’s Permanent Secretary to the United Nations.

Waiswa said that the meeting was aimed at sharing knowledge on several issues, among them being South Africa’s views concerning the future of NAM, Uganda’s priorities, vision and theme for NAM summit as well as the task of chairing of NAM summit in the current geo-political environment.

The Permanent Secretary revealed that after the meeting, Zaheer Laher, the Deputy Director General to Global Governance and Continental Agenda took the delegation through the organisation structure and methodology of hosting the NAM summit.

He added that Laher also took them through the role of NAM chair, South Africa’s experience on hosting the Summit in 1998, the NAM Coordinating Bureau, the Non-Aligned Security Council Caucus, Joint Coordinating Committees and NAM meetings, among others.

Waiswa confirmed that Laher explained the need to build partnership and continuously engage in the challenge of concurrently chairing the NAM and G77 summits, and also strategize on how to attain optimal outcomes at the end of the summit as well as striking the balance between NAM member States and Non-member States’ interests.

The DIRCO has therefore pledged for continued support towards Uganda’s hosting and assuming the chairmanship of NAM and G77 summits.

NAM has a membership of 120 States and Uganda was endorsed to assume the chairmanship from 2023 to 2026 where President Museveni will take over the chairmanship from President llham Alivey.