By Dr. Kivumbi Earnest Benjamin, L.H.D, (Hon.) & Faith Barbara N Ruhinda – Updated at 1525 EAT on Monday 13th October 2025

KAMPALA – Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Gen. Jeje Odongo, on Monday officially opened the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Midterm Ministerial in Kampala, reaffirming Uganda’s commitment to the outcomes of the 19th NAM Summit and the Movement’s founding principles.

As Chair of NAM, Uganda renewed its call for unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity under the theme “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.” Minister Odongo stressed that solidarity and a common purpose remain essential for NAM’s continued influence in shaping international dialogue and decision-making.

On the question of Palestine, Uganda reiterated NAM’s long-standing position, urging the international community to refocus on humanitarian assistance, adherence to international law, and pursuit of a just Two-State Solution as the only viable path to lasting peace.

Underscoring the importance of revitalizing South–South cooperation, Minister Odongo called for tackling financing barriers, promoting fair trade, and driving industrial transformation across the developing world. He highlighted that South–South trade has grown from $2.3 trillion in 2007 to $5.6 trillion in 2023, demonstrating the vast potential of deeper interregional cooperation between Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Uganda further reiterated its dedication to strengthening the implementation of resolutions from the 19th Summit and earlier NAM meetings. “Together, we can turn global challenges into opportunities for peace, development, and shared prosperity,” Odongo affirmed.

The ongoing Kampala meeting has seen the Economic Sub-Committee deliberate on critical issues, including poverty eradication as a core UN 2030 Agenda objective, strengthening multilateralism, and reforming global governance—particularly the UN financial architecture and multilateral development banks—to better reflect the realities and needs of the Global South. The committee is also addressing regional and sub-regional cooperation in industrial development, trade, investment, technology transfer, and job creation.

Meanwhile, the Political Sub-Committee has convened to discuss peace and security challenges affecting Member States. Uganda, as NAM Chair, underscored the importance of dialogue, respect for sovereignty, and adherence to international law as the foundation for global stability.

The deliberations will culminate in the Kampala Final Outcome Document, setting the course for NAM’s collective action in the years ahead.

About NAM and Uganda’s Role

Founded in 1961 at the Belgrade Conference, the Non-Aligned Movement is the largest grouping of states outside the United Nations, bringing together 120 member countries, 17 observer states, and 10 international organizations. Established at the height of the Cold War, NAM was created by leaders including Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, and Sukarno of Indonesia, with the aim of advancing independence, sovereignty, and peaceful coexistence among nations.

Today, NAM represents over half of the world’s population and serves as a vital platform for countries of the Global South to advocate for collective interests in peace, security, development, and reform of the international order.

Uganda holds the current Chairmanship of NAM, having assumed the role at the 19th Summit hosted in Kampala in January 2024. This marked the first time Uganda hosted a NAM Summit, positioning the country at the center of Global South diplomacy. Under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s leadership, Uganda has pledged to champion NAM’s founding values of non-alignment, mutual respect, and multilateral cooperation, while pushing for reforms in global governance and stronger South–South partnerships.