As it happened: Day 5 of 19th NAM Summit in Kampala

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Presented and edited by Joseph Kizza
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 4:33 PM 

#WeAreEqual campaign launched

During the luncheon of spouses of NAM leaders at Serena, held on the sidelines of the 19th NAM Summit, the #WeAreEqual Campaign by First Lady Janet Museveni was launched, with her fellow women leaders committing to contribute to closing the gender gap in Africa.

The campaign is riding on the slogan: To move forward, we must move together.

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 4:13 PM 

Luncheon for spouses of NAM leaders

Pictures from the luncheon at Kampala Serena Hotel:

The host, First Lady Janet Museveni of Uganda...

First Lady of Burundi Angeline Ndayishimiye...

Mignon Bowen-Phillips, the wife of Guyana's prime minister...

Sadia Shahal, the wife of Singapore's foreign affairs miniter....

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 3:21 PM 

WATCH: Museveni addresses NAM as chair

Earlier today, Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni was elected the chair of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and he delivered his inaugural address in that capacity.


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 3:00 PM 

Luncheon for spouses of NAM leaders

Meanwhile, at Kampala Serena Hotel, Luncheon for Spouses of Heads of State and Governments of the Non-Aligned Movement has been organized. Other high-profile women have also been invited — so from a Ugandan point of view, you will definitely see some familiar faces.

This luncheon is being hosted by Uganda's First Lady Janet Museveni.

New Vision's Miriam Namutebi has been busy capturing the elegantly dressed guests arrive and settle in at the venue.
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Former UNDP Resident Representative for Uganda, Rosa Malango (C), and Ugandan health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng (L) are at the venue already...

Justice Catherine Bamugemereire (R) arrives...

Inspector General of Government Beti Olive Kamya...

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 1:30 PM 

💬  'Count on me'

Here is what the President of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Francis:

❝Let me convey my warm congratulations to the Government of Uganda on assuming the chairmanship of the Movement. Your known, astute and insightful leadership assures me that under your guidance, NAM will effectively tackle forthcoming challenges, boosting both its profile and influence.

Allow me to also commend the outgoing chairman, the President of Azerbaijan, His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, for his successful stewardship of the Movement during difficult times and notably in broadening its connection with the people through initiatives like the NAM Parliamentary Network and the NAM Youth Organization.

This year's summit theme: Deepening co-operation for shared global affluence recalls the Movement's founding principles of co-operation and collaboration, urgent prescriptions in the current setting. Our world is beset with profound multifaceted challenges which demand creativity and consensus building to fashion effective solutions.

Unhappily, it is precisely in the opposite direction that we are headed. Widening inequalities are breeding such grievances while mistrust and geopolitical competition are hampering efforts to realize our aspirations of achieving sustainable development by 2030.

In Ukraine, the Middle East and here in Africa, crises and conflicts are laying bare the limits of the multilateral system, raising legitimate questions as to the relevance and value of the UN itself in terms of its ability to resolve global issues and as to whether we, as a global community, can deliver the promise of peace and prosperity for all.

There is no doubt that the world is deeply fragmented, complicating the mission and undermining the traditional mechanisms adopted by the UN in addressing major problems.

And while we must, out of necessity, engage in introspection and adopt more effective strategies and methods to achieve delivery and meaningful impact, the one thing we must work hard to avoid is the loss of our ability to find common purpose and to act decisively when the moment demands it.

I must tell you that I am deeply concerned and indeed dismayed upon the ongoing calamity in the Gaza Strip. And so I call upon this Movement to exert its influence in bringing a halt to the carnage that we are haplessly witnessing. That situation beholds us to ask: How much is enough? And does the very concept of enough even exist in this setting?

Looking to the future of this region, I reiterate my urgent call on all parties to refrain from any action that could further spill over into neighbouring countries. The General Assembly encompassing the voice of the vast majority of the member states has been clear.

In that regard, I renew the demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for the release of all hostages. This stands as the only credible course of action to authentically address, let alone resolve, this conflict. The wanton prosecution of violence only inspires intergenerational and sickly appetites for retribution and reprisal.

After various iterations of war over several decades,  I am convinced that a negotiated solution is the sole path through which both the Israelis and Palestinians will fully realize fundamental right to a life of peace, based on the two-state solution.

As President of the General Assembly, I will support and encourage any and all initiatives to that end. You can count on me to remain steadfast in that commitment.

It is precisely for these reasons that I chose peace as the first of four priorities of my presidency, reflecting its foundational importance as a prerequisite of achieving prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.

The history of NAM itself teaches us important lessons that remain valid today, bearing in mind that the Movement was formed at a time of unprecedented global division, when the world appeared to on the blink.

Given NAM's commitment to and advocacy for peace, representing more than half of the global population, it has an indispensable role in guiding our world pragmatically towards a more secure, more just and more prosperous future for all where harmony and peace prevail.

As we make complex choices about the kind of world we wish to forge, we must never lose sight of the fact that today's challenges — be it war, poverty, natural disasters, climate change and sea level rise, market prices and food shortages — all have a human face. In whatever way we respond, we must ensure that we always assign pride of place to the human dimensions and consequences of our actions.

Pursuit of a human-centred vision of international co-operation offers the prospect of refocusing the international community's attention away from a path of self-destruction towards one of safe and just evolution.

To that end, let us strengthen the prospect for peace through investing in human security, let us respect and uphold human rights and let us keep human welfare and human dignity at the very centre of all that we do. This is clearly the intent of the charter in the expressions with the peoples of the United Nations.

This includes ensuring that the technologies revolutionalizing our existance do much more to cement our shared humanity rather than to subdue and to subordinate it. As Kofi Annan wisely observed nearly two decades ago, no society can no longer remain prosperous without the rule of law and respect for human rights.

As you set about restrategizing how best to employ the NAM formula of co-operation to achieve shared global affluence, I am hopeful that you will keep the late [UN] secretary general's precepts in mind.

As the UN's largest group, constituting two-thirds of the membership, NAM's critical mass empowers it to play an influential role in shifting the balance of the geopolical landscape from conflict and confrontation, to diplomacy. From suspicision and mistrust to trust-building dialogue. And from violence and aggression to tolerance, understanding and peace.

To move the dial, we need swift action in priority areas.

On nuclear disarmement, NAM has the capacity and the influence to contribute to the de-escalation of confrontation by promoting multilateralism as the core principle of negotiation and multilateral diplomacy as the means of achieving progress.

In the areas of conflict prevention, NAM countries can lead the way by upholding international norms, respecting human rights and vehemently countering entrenched racism and tolerance and zenophobic attitudes that provide futile ground for terrorism and discord and for conflict and strife.

I urge the NAM to undertake an indepth assessment of the new agenda for peace given its focus on conflict prevention. Perhaps nowhere is the value of international co-operation of more profound consequent than in our pursuit of a sustainable future for all.

Indeed, our promise to leave no one behind hinges on our ability to build strong and diverse partnerships, share knowledge widely and strategically and strengthen our joint capacities to reach the most vulnerable.

The Summit of the Future in September 2024 will offer an historic opportunity to fasttrack the achievement of the SDGs and forge a new global consensus to transform our multilateral system to deliver with better impact for people and planet.

Ahead of the summit, in 2024, I wil host the first ever Sustainability Week in the General Assembly, the flagship initiative of my presidency featuring mandatory high-level events on transport, tourism, infrastructure and energy and well as an event on debt sustainability.

I invite the members of the Movement both individually and collectively to engage meaningfully in these events and to participate at the highest level possible to take lead in shaping the new multilateral frameworks that will carry us into the coming decades.

The potential of the NAM to drive susbstantive progress across the global agenda, especially in fostering peace and security remains formidable. My team and I are ready to support  the Ugandan chairmanship in any effort to further elevate NAM's strategic engagement and influence as we mould the future for safety and security, and for shared affluence.

Together, let us therefore deepen our co-operation. Let us work fervently together to rebuild trust and to open new pathways of co-operation and partnership to ensure that indeed, global affluence is shared equitable by all so that no one is left behind.

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 12:48 PM 

'We have struggled together'

In conclusion, Cuba pays tribute to Azerbaijan's "outstanding work in running this movement during a particularly complex period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which demanded additional efforts on all fronts" and wished Uganda "the greatest of success" at the helm, committing Cuban support.

"We have struggled together to get to where we are now. And together we have won transcendental victories for our nations. Together, we shall continue to wedge the neccessary battle for our proud, just, prosperous and sustainable future for our peoples and Cuba will always be on the frontline."

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 12:40 PM 

'Stumbling block to Cuban devt'

Cuba's Vice-President Salvador Valdés Mesa tells the NAM leaders meeting:

"The criminal and illegal commercial and and financial blockade imposed by the US on Cuba has reached unprecedented levels of aggressiveness and it has been reinforced to extremes. And thus, becoming the main stumbling block to the development, the dreams of prosperity and development of more than 11 million Cubans.

"In these circumstances, we appreciate even more the firm rejection expressed by the NAM against its criminal policy. On behalf of our people, I also thank the members of the NAM for their rejection of the unwarranted inclusion of Cuba in the unilateral list drawn up by the US state sponsors of terrorism. This immoral and unfounded action by the US government has curtailed to very high levels of flow of financial resources to our country."
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 12:33 PM 

'No excuse'

"It is possible to guarantee proud, prosperous and sustainable living standards for the majority of this population so long as the huge capacities that are there and exist to create wealth adn wellbeing are used to equitable and fairly," says Mesa.

"Only co-operation and solidarity among all countries will be effective to be able to cope with the colossal challenges of present and future times. The wealthiest countries have no excuses not to meet their commitment to assign a rate of 0.7% of their GDP to official development assistance.

"It is shocking that the nations of the South should have to allocate at least 40% of their income to pay for insterests associated to foreign debt and that the least developed countries pay interest rates that are eight times higher than those of developed countries.

"I reaffirm Cuba's commitment to international fraternal co-operation, in particular South-South co-operation, based on mutual respect, selfless assistance and complementarity. Despite our limited resources and a brutal blockade that we have faced in Cuba, we shall maintain our co-operation with other countries in need to the extent of our possiblities, following our principle of sharing with modesty what we have.

"Washington's economic warfare against Cuba has not ceased for a single day for more than 60 years."

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 12:25 PM 

More from Cuban Mesa:

"Every historical epoch brings about its own challenges and the current times bring about challenges which are key and decisive in the future of mankind. The current global order and force is characterized by multiple crises, extreme social polarization, increasing asymmetries, geopolitical conflicts and an erosion and weakening of multilaterism.

"Exclusion and inequality continue to perpetuate. The international financial architecture designed by the wealthiest countries for their own benefit continues to be a stumbling block to the developmental aspirations of our nations.

"At the current rate of progress, none of the agreed 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda goals would be achieved yet we face the fact that military budgets are reaching exorbitant figures.

"Climate change is threatening the survival of the human species and our countries that at least contribute to the environmental crises are the ones which are most vulnerable to its impact."

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 12:17 PM 

Cuba urges NAM action on Gaza conflict

"Since last October, we have been witness to one of the cruelest genocidal acts ever to be recorded in history," Cuba's Vice-President Salvador Valdés Mesa tells the NAM Heads of State and Government Summit.

"With impunity and repressive brutality, Israel has submitted the Palestinian people to a collective punishment that has already taken the lives of more than 20,000 innocent civilians as its toll.

"How can the Western countries, who claim to be so civilized, justify the murder of women and children in Gaza, the indiscriminate bombing of hospitals and schools and the deprivation of access to safe water and food?

"We could further ask, as was done by our historical leader of Cuban revolution Fidel Castro, in a summit like this back in 1979: Is it not true that we can observe in this irrefutable demonstration of imperialism aggressive role and the kind of order and peace they would wish to impose on our peoples.

"Cuba suggests the NAM being consistent with the historical support to the Palestine people, without further delay, for practical actions as a contribution to the efforts intended to hold the current act of barbarism;

▪️  Call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories in all possible forums.

▪️  Support the urgent dispatch of international protection mission authorized by the UN General Assembly to the Gaza Strip with a key mandate to guarantee the security and protection of the civilian population and facilitate the deliver of emergency humanitarian aid, including water and foodstuffs.

▪️  Convene and resume emergency special sessions of the United Nations General Assemblies where the NAM would propose a resolution calling for the convening of a peace conference under the auspicies of the UN that would make it possible to preserve the inalienable rights of Palestinian people, including its right to have an independent and sovereign state within the borders prior to 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital or calling for the prompt operation of the State of Palestine as a fully fledged member state of the UN.

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 11:57 AM 

'Deeply unjust'

"Cuba in its position as chair of the G77+China, has undertaken to promote unity, solidarity and co-operation among the countries of the South," Salvador Valdés Mesa tells the NAM leaders.

"We urgently need to coordinate our nations in the face of the current international order, which is deeply unjust, it is excluding and it is discriminatory against our people.

"We reaffirm our strong rejection against the implementation of unilateral coersive measures which have been imposed on several members of our movement.

"Cuba would like to underscore its support to the right of the people of Western Sahara to selfdetermination. We express also our unequivocal support to the right of Puerto Rico to exercise its selfdetermination and independence.

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 11:46 AM 

G77+China chair addresses meeting

After his address, President Museveni invites Cuba's Vice-President Salvador Valdés Mesa, who is also the chairperson of the G77+China, to address the meeting.

He says it has been a great honour to visit "our sister nation of Uganda", saying Cuba and Uganda share "historical bonds of friendship and co-operation".

This year, Uganda and Cuba celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.

The Cuban VP says the member states are meeting amid "huge external pressures intended to weaken the movement", adding that "our distinctive diversity is our strength, and it allows us to find consensus amidst different viewpoints based on the principles and values that we share".

He says the NAM has been a leading advocate of many just causes in the world, incuding the struggle against colonialism, neocolonialism, fascism, racism and apartheid.

"Our movement promoted key initiatives in favour of development such as the achievement of a new international economic order...

"Today, faced with new global challenges, it is imperative that we keep our forces united. We need to coordinate positions and ensure that our voice is heard in defense of the aspirations and just demands of our peoples."

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 11:40 AM 

'Use NAM strength to exercise influence'

"The strength of the Non-Aligned Movement should be used to exercise considerable influence, particularly at the UN, for the effective transformative process for a better common future," urges the Ugandan leader in this conclusion.

"In the negotiations for the Pact of the Future, the Outcome Document for the upcoming UN Summit of the Future to be held in September 2024, we should clearly define priorities that favour developing countries by maintaining unity, solidarity and collective coordination among our member states in line with the Bandung principles.

"I assure you all that my team, led by the Permanent Representative to the UN, has my full support to chair the coordinating bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement."

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 11:37 AM 

'Morbid bigotry of uni-idealogical thinking'

"We, the resistance fighters of Uganda, can testify that by synthesizing, the package of ideas have got very good results, using the ideas of the free market combined with the ideas of selective state intervention in the economy in some sectors like banking, energy, transport, etc and also bringing back some aspects of the pre-capitalist institutions such as reformed cultural institutions," says President Museveni.

"Uganda, although starting from a very low base, has had growth rates of 6.2% per annum for the last 37 years.

"We are, therefore, not impressed and cannot be part of the morbid bigotry of uni-idealogical thinking of this or that type.

"The universe has been here for the last 30 billions years. The human society has been here for the last four and a half million years. You, therefore should not have the audacity to impose on the society you live in, let alone the world, your narrow uni-ideological orientation."

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 11:25 AM 

'Future is bright if we act right'

"The future is bright if we act right," says President Museveni.

He goes to read out the 10 Bandung Principles:

1. Respect for fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations

2. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations

3. Recognition of the equality of all races and of the equality of all nations, large and small

4. Abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country

5. Respect for the right of each nation to defend itself, singly or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations

6. a) Abstention from the use of arrangements of collective defence to serve any particular interests of the big powers
    b) Abstention by any country from exerting pressures on other countries

7. Refraining form acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country

8. Settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means, such as negotiation, conciliation, arbitration, or judicial settlement as well as other peaceful means of the parties' own choice, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations

9. Promotion of mutual interests and co-operation

10. Respect for justice and international obligations

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 11:23 AM 

'What Africa needs from others are markets'

"Our stand is that the world should concentrate on the common human problems, prosperity through trade, the advance of science and technology to deal with human problems, the environment, crime and terrorism," Museveni tells fellow NAM leaders.

"When you are outside there, you may get stereotypes about Africa. That Africa, they have no food, they are starving. Here we have so much food. So those images which you see about some bad situations don't think they represent the whole of Africa.

"Africa has got everything. What we need from other people are markets and investments. But we shall not only sell to you, we shall also buy from you."

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 11:19 AM 

'Non-Aligned Movement was correct'

"It took the modern African resistance fighters only 82 years to clear the whole of Africa of these invaders, with South Africa being the last to get freedom in 1994," says President Museveni.

"In that 82 years, you had the Mau Mau in Kenya, the resistance wars in Algeria, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc. We won everywhere, but after losing a lot of time.

"Why had the imperialists thought of dominating us in the first place?

"Therefore, the Non-Aligned Movement Movement was correct. The illogical polarization of the 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s between the capitalists and communists was wrong. Why should new ideas cause tension?"

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 11:14 AM 

'We abhor unjust wars'

"Chauvinists of race, religion, tribe or gender should stop wasting our time and opportunities with their shallow schemes," says Museveni.

"Action will inevitably invite counteraction. Oppression will invite resistance. That is why we the resistance fighters of Uganda only fight just wars. We abhor unjust wars. The promoters of unjust wars lose most of the time. These are wars of imperialism, conquest, domination, etc.

"In the 500 years of European aggression against Africa, it was only from 1912 when the Africa National Congress (ANC) was founded in South Africa that modern freedom fighters came forward to lead the African resistance, the traditional illiterate African chiefs having failed to defend our sovereignty expect for [Emperor] Menelic II of Ethiopia who defeated the Italian aggressors in 1986."
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 11:09 AM 

'Free associations of nations'

President Museveni is stern in his tone against what he calls the "shallowness of some of the actors of world".

He tells the NAM Heads of State and Government meeting:

"We should only have free associations of nations, people of common or shared origin, interacting for mutual advantage with the people of the world. Therefore, we, the resistance fighters of Uganda, are flabbergasted and look down with contempt at the philosophical, ideological and strategic shallowness of some of the actors of the world.

"Why not respect freedom of everybody if you say you are a democrat? How can you say you are a democrat and yet you want other people to be slaves?

"Why do you not seek to influence people by your good example instead of manipulation, lectures and threats?"

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 11:06 AM 

'Idea of empires an evil idea'

President Museveni says further:

"Europeans looting of the rest of humanity through slavery, imperialism, colonialism, semi-colonialism, conquest and extermination of the indigenous people in some cases, went on for 500 years.

"Instead of humanity celebrating the scientific advances in ship building, the wider use of gunpowder which had been discovered by the Chinese around 800 BC, the wider use of quinine against malaria that the Spanish had learnt from the indigenous Indians of the Americas, the printing press, the steam engine, and all the other inventions, we had to spend 500 years in anticolonial wars to expel the evil parasites.

"In the case of Africa, it is only in 1994 that the indigenous people of South Africa regained control of their country.

"The oppressors miscalculate when they use their temporary advantage in science and technology to think that they can use that to indefinitely oppress other people.

"The oppressed will learn, catch up and defeat the oppressor. That is why empires always all collapse. The idea of empires is an evil idea. People are supposed to be free, not to be conquered by empires.
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 10:57 AM 

Devt of science & tech 'primer' for social changes - Museveni

"Our study of political economy of creation and society enabled us to discover that the best primer [initiator] of changes in society is the development of science and technology," says President Museveni.

"Therefore, societies that move forward with their levels of science and technology lay the basis for positive social change and should be encouraged by the progressive forces of the world."
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 10:54 AM 

President Museveni takes the session on a historical journey of social change in a world where humans had to confront both natural forces and then fellow humans.

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 10:45 AM 

 BREAKING NEWS 

Museveni delivers inaugural address

In his inaugural address as the NAM chair, President Yoweri Museveni says the NAM is a representation of 4.46 billion people of the world and welcomes the Movement's leaders — in their various capacities — and delegations to this summit.

He says he was in Primary Three when the NAM was established in 1961, adding that its creation was "a necessary antidote to the irrational polarization of the world of that time".

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 10:39 AM 

 BREAKING NEWS 

Museveni takes over NAM chairmanship

A huge round of applause rings across the hall as President Yoweri Museveni, after election by acclamation, is declared the chairman of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
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 10:35 AM 

Bayramov continues to present a report on the activities of the NAM from 2019 until 2024 under the Azerbaijan chairmanship.

One of the highlights is in the education sector, where scholarships were awarded to students from different member states to study in 20 colleges and universities in Azerbaijan.
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 10:27 AM 

Bayramov says Azerbaijan's NAM chairmanship has done its best to have the voice of its members heard and believes its successor Uganda will do the same and even better.

Azerbaijan says it is "grateful for your trust and solidarity" in this four years at the helm, especially as the world navigated through a difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 10:23 AM 

Opening ceremony under way

The opening ceremony of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) has begun in Munyonyo.

For this session in Kampala, Azerbaijan's foreign affairs minister, Jeyhun Bayramov, is representing President Ilham Aliyev, the current and outgoing chair of the NAM.

He gets the ceremony started with a call for all the leaders to rise for a minute of silence in memory of leaders of the Movement who have passed away since the Baku Summit of 2019.

After, there is no objection to the agenda of the session and therefore, the session is declared open.

Next up, attention turns to the screens for a short film on the highlights of the Non-Aligned Movement during Azerbaijan's chairmanship.

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 10:05 AM 

Right then, the official group photo is done and next up will be the opening ceremony inside the main hall of the Rwenzori Convention Centre.

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 10:00 AM 

📸  Group photo

At Munyonyo, the NAM leaders have gathered on the main staircase for the official group photo.

President Yoweri Museveni, wearing a grey suit, has taken a central position for the photo.

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 9:50 AM 

📝 42nd IGAD meeting communique

Here is the communique of the 42nd Extraordinary Meeting of the IGAD:

The 42nd Extraordinary Assembly of the IGAD Heads of State and Government was held on Thursday, 18th January 2024, in Entebbe, Republic of Uganda, on the situation in  the Republic of the Sudan and recent developments regarding the relation between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia;

The Assembly was chaired by H.E. Ismail Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti and the Chairperson of the IGAD Heads of State and Government and was attended by: H.E. Dr. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya; H.E. Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan; H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda;  

Also in attendance were: H.E. Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, the Executive Secretary of IGAD; H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; H.E. Ramtane Lamamra, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Sudan; H.E. Eng. Waleed M. Alkhuraji, Deputy Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Annette Weber, European Union Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa; H.E. Ambassador Michael Hammer, US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa; H.E. Hossam Eldin Mohamed, Assistant Secretary General of the League of Arab States; H.E. Mohamed Abdi Ware, IGAD Deputy Executive Secretary; Ambassador Ismail Wais (PhD), IGAD Special Envoy for South Sudan and IGAD representative for the Sudan Peace Process; Ambassador Mohamed Ali Guyo (PhD), IGAD Special Envoy for the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Somalia; and, Chief-of-Staff of the Office of the UN Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa.

Arising from statements and subsequent deliberations on the situation in the Republic of the Sudan and recent developments in the relation between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia;

The Assembly,

Congratulated the people and President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for hosting and successfully organizing the 42nd Extraordinary IGAD Assembly of Heads of State and Government and also the Non-Aligned Movement and the G77 + China Summits as well as the courtesies and warm welcome extended to delegates;

Deeply concerned by the recent developments regarding the relation between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia;

Reaffirmed the cardinal principles of respect for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia; and any engagement should uphold the above cardinal principles, and any agreement or arrangement should be with the consent of the Federal Government of Somalia;  

Called upon the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Federal Republic of Somalia to de-escalate tensions and instead engage in constructive dialogue;

Concerned by the continued fighting in the Republic of the Sudan and the dire security and humanitarian situation occasioned by the war, reiterated its call for the parties to the conflict to commit to dialogue and negotiation; and in this regard, expressed IGAD’s continued readiness to offer its good offices to facilitate an all-inclusive peace process to end the conflict in close collaboration with all Sudanese stakeholders, AU, and regional and international actors;

Emphasized that the Republic of the Sudan does not belong to the parties to the conflict only but the Sudanese people and reiterated their call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as well as cessation of hostilities to end this unjust war affecting the people of the Sudan to pave way for a political dialogue;

Underscored the primary responsibility of IGAD Member States to ensure the will of the people of the Sudan prevails;

Recalled the commitment of the parties to the conflict for a face-to-face meeting within 14 days and called upon the parties to meet within two weeks;  

Stressed that IGAD Member States will utilize all means and capabilities to ensure the conflict in the Sudan is resolved peacefully and directed the IGAD Secretariat to provide an update to the Assembly;

Directed the IGAD Secretariat in coordination with the AUC to revise the Roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of the Sudan that was adopted at the 14th Ordinary Session of the IGAD Heads of State and Government with clear timelines; and within one month to convene a Sudanese-owned and Sudanese-led process towards a democratic Government in the Sudan;

Called upon IGAD in coordination with AU and international community to mobilize support for the peace process with the aim to resolve the conflict in the Republic of the Sudan;  

Welcomed the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for appointing members of a High-Level Panel for Sudan and called on the Panel to work closely and collaboratively with IGAD and other stakeholders in facilitating the peace process in the Sudan; and

Decided to remain actively seized of these matters.
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 9:50 AM 

Museveni urges dialogue to 'calm environment'

On Thursday, President Yoweri Museveni hosted the 42nd Extraordinary Meeting of the IGAD to deliberate on what he called "disturbing developments between member states of Ethiopia and Somalia as well as the unjust proceedings in Sudan".

"While we stand by the cardinal principle of sovereignty of nations of Africa and, indeed, the world, I join members to condemn the use of war for every small matter and call for dialogue to calm the environment," he posted on social media platform X.

"The joint communique captures the position of the meeting in its entirety. I thank Their Excellencies for convening at short notice in Entebbe and look forward to further engagements in the NAM and G77+China fora on matters of global wellness.

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 9:36 AM 

We are beginning to see a flow of VIP arrivals at Speke Resort Munyonyo, where the opening ceremony of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the NAM will get under way not long from now.
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 9:27 AM 

✍️🏽 Uganda, Cuba sign trade deal

On Thursday, Uganda and Cuba signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on trade co-operation, with Uganda's Vice-President Jessica Alupo and her Cuban counterpart Salvador Valdés Mesa witnessing the deal that is focusing on barter trade between the two countries.

Alupo welcomed the Cuban delegation to Uganda, stressing that their visit reflects the excellent bilateral relations existing between Uganda and Cuba.

Read more on this story here.

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 9:03 AM 

✈️ LEADERS: Who is here?

This (Friday) morning, we have seen more planes touch down at Entebbe International Airport in the context of the NAM Summit. The following are the leaders that have arrived in Uganda to attend today's 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Please note that it is not the official list — nor it is the final one. I will update is as and when I get more names.

 PRESIDENTS 

▪️ Willam Ruto (Kenya)
▪️  Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi)
▪️ Salva Kiir Mayardit (South Sudan)
▪️ Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia)
▪️ Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti)
▪️ Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe)
▪️ Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (Equatorial Guinea)
▪️  Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo (Ghana)
▪️ Ranil Wickremesinghe (Sri Lanka)
▪️ Roch Wamytan (New Caledonia)
▪️ Željka Cvijanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

 VICE-PRESIDENTS 

▪️ Kassim Majaliwa (Tanzania)
▪️ Nangolo Mbumba (Namibia)
▪️ Cevdet Yılmaz (Turkey)
▪️ Salvador Valdés Mesa (Cuba)
▪️ Vo Thi Anh Xuan (Vietnam)
▪️ Han Zheng (China)

 PRIME MINISTERS 

▪️ Édouard Ngirente (Rwanda)
▪️ Nadir Larbaoui (Algeria)
▪️ Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Nepal)
▪️  Philip Davis (The Bahamas)
▪️  Choguel Kokalla Maïga (Mali)
▪️ Aziz Akhannouch (Morocco)
▪️ Liu Guozhong (Vice Premier, China)

 OTHER LEADERS 

▪️ Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd Al-Said (Speaker of the Council of State of Oman)
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 8:57 AM 

🇺🇬🇺🇿   Uganda, Uzbekistan sign MOU

Also on Thursday, during the NAM Summit, Minister Odongo and Uzbekistan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhromjon Aloyev, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish diplomatic relations.

Uzbekistan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2027-2029.

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 8:54 PM 

🇺🇬🇰🇵  Uganda, Korea hold bilateral meeting

On Thursday, on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Kampala, Uganda's foreign affairs minister Gen. (rtd) Jeje Odongo held a bilateral meeting with Kim Son Gyong, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs  and Special Envoy of The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

"They discussed matters of mutual interest between the two countries," said the foreign affairs ministry on social media platform X.

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 8:45 AM 

📝 Day five programme

It is going to be a packed morning session of formalities and various addresses.

▪️  First up, we expect the heads of state and government and heads of delegations to begin arriving at Speke Resort Munyonyo not long from now. Once they are in one place, they will take an official group photo.

▪️ At the scheduled 9:20am, the opening ceremony of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) will begin inside the main hall of the Rwenzori Convention Centre.

During this session:

▪️  The President of Azerbaijan and current chair of the NAM, Ilham Aliyev, will deliver his address.
▪️  A minute of silence will be held in memory of leaders of the NAM who have passed away since the Baku Summit.
▪️  President Aliyev will present a report on the activities of the NAM from 2019 until 2024
▪️  President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda will then be elected by acclamation as the new chair of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the NAM.
▪️  We will then witness the official transfer of the chair of the NAM from Azerbaijan to Uganda
▪️  President Museveni will deliver his inaugural address as chair of the NAM
▪️  Cuba's Vice-President and chairperson of the G77+China, Salvador Valdés Mesa, will then deliver his address
▪️  Thereafter, Dennis Francis, the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, will address the session
▪️  An address by the Secretary General of the United Nations will follow
▪️  Then, addresses by the representatives of the regional groups comprising the NAM will conclude the morning session
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 8:33 AM 

#⃣  Join the conversation

Follow the conversation on all things 19th NAM Summit on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #NAMSummitUg2024.
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 8:30 AM 

🌤️ A warm Friday is here!

Hello everyone from a warm morning in Uganda's capital Kampala, and welcome back to our continuing text coverage of the concluding 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

On Thursday, even before NAM concludes, we saw the opening of the Third South Summit of the G77+China with the senior officials meeting.

We also saw the arrival of more heads of state and government and other leading state and government representatives. Some are flying in this morning for today's main session of this summit.

I will try my best to keep you updated on the developments as the day cruises along. It's going to be a busy one so how about I flex my fingers and jump right into it...

(Oh, and don't forget to refresh this page every once in a while to view fresh updates.)