NAM to strengthen investments, says PM
KAMPALA, Uganda : PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has said that the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries have agreed to strengthen investments in various sectors including industries to enhance prosperity among member states.
The Premier made the remarks on Saturday, shortly after the conclusion of the NAM 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Kampala, Uganda. Mr Majaliwa represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the important gathering.
“Member states have been encouraged to step up efforts in intensifying investments, especially in key sectors such as industries, agriculture, promoting stronger trade ties, and create favourable environment for investments and business to thrive, to enhance economic growth,” he said.
Mr Majaliwa also said that NAM member countries have agreed to continue encouraging collaboration among members of the community in addressing various social challenges. They have also agreed to encourage their citizens to fully partake in economic transformation and protection of peace and security in their countries.
Addressing the summit on Friday, Mr Majaliwa stressed the need for NAM Heads of State and Government to ensure that they participate in every occasion of the forum and sustain cooperation on defence and security issues, including fighting climate change.
“We have deliberated on climate change trend and its impacts in various crucial areas and the importance of setting up a strategy to counter its effects in our respective areas,” Majaliwa said.
Majaliwa also called upon United Nations agencies to look at the NAM’s agenda and see how they can cooperate with the forum in implementing them.
On his side, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni called on NAM countries to use trade to enhance prosperity among member states.
Museveni further said member countries should use science and technology to deal with human problems, the environment, crime and terrorism.
“The future is bright if we act right,” Museveni told presidents, Heads of State and Governments and the Heads of Delegations of the 120 NAM countries, who attended the week-long event.
He said the strength of NAM should be used to exercise considerable influence, particularly at the UN for the effective transformative process.
“The outcome document of the upcoming United Nations Summit of the Future to be held in New York in September 2024 should clearly define priorities that favour developing countries,” Museveni stated.
Museveni said the emergence of the NAM was a necessary antidote to the irrational polarisation of the World of that time between the Capitalist Western countries and the Communist, mainly Eastern countries.
“The illogical polarisation of the 1940s, 1950s, 60s and 70s, between the Capitalists and Communists was wrong,” he said.
“This grouping of countries accounts for 4.46 billion people of the World. It was started by our far-sighted elders in the persons of Sukarno, of Indonesia, Nehru of India, Nasser of Egypt and Chou En Lai of China, when they met in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955,” Museveni added.
About 4,000 guests from different member states attended the weeklong summit. The meeting sought to address pressing global issues and foster cooperation among member states.
NAM is an international organisation with currently 120 states. The membership consists of 53 counties from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and two from Europe.
