Embed wealth creation in NAM priorities

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OPINION

By Capt. Wilson Agaba

In January, Uganda hosted the 19th Non-Aligned Movement followed by the third South Summit and the G77+China Summit.

The two conferences were an important vote of confidence in the able leadership of President Yoweri Museveni and Uganda, diplomatically, economically and politically.

Given the economic threats that Uganda continues to face on its journey of no return to prosperity and absolute sovereignty from some cunning actors on the global stage, the arrival of more than 3,000 guests from 120 countries couldn’t have come at a better time which speaks to the current geopolitical machinations.

The main objective of the NAM at the time of its establishment at the first large scale Afro-Asian Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia was to keep the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa out of the superpower rivalry, and to protect their newly acquired independence in the bipolar world.

However, in today, there are other important goals that have been adopted such as: eliminating the causes of war; protecting the independent countries of Asia and Africa from colonial domination; opposing (neo)colonialism, imperialism and racial discrimination; advocating the sovereign equality of all states; encouraging friendly relations among countries and the peaceful settlement of international disputes; opposing the use of force and the use of nuclear weapons as well as protecting human rights and the environment.

One thing that is quiet though is the doctrine of shared prosperity that should be derived from the friendly relationships already established.

As variously pointed out, the G77 of which Uganda is the current chair represents over 80% of the world’s population and correspondingly, the majority of the world’s poverty burden.

The G7 on the other hand is less than 10% of global population but accounts for 26% of global GDP.

Parts of the G77 suffer from economic haemophilia inherited from the colonial past as well as global economic systems that are surgically sculpted to cripple any meaningful indigenous development.

And as such, development may only be achieved at the mercy and pity of the external mighty powers rather than identification, improvisation, reorganisation, prioritisation, stabilisation and equitable exploitation of a nation’s nucleus assets.

So, what are the core assets inherent in the G77 that, when harnessed and aggregated can ably uplift the wellbeing of this downtrodden but giant commonwealth?

Unity as the core principle has first of all been achieved as seen from the overwhelming commitment of member nations to attend the conference.

However, now is time to look at the core competitive advantages that each country can offer as a unit to the wider community and how the wider community can be of assistance in enabling that unit to transcend its barriers.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. It is little wonder that a lot of firepower is always aimed at the weakest spots of any nation that dares stand against the desires of the mischievous powerful, while at the same time downplaying and blinding it to the value of its potential through calculated misdirection.

Let us take an example of Uganda. Over the past nine years, the country has witnessed a massive revolution in the agricultural sector akin to the 1986 revolution.

Through Operation Wealth Creation initiative, many have embraced agriculture at various levels of the value chain beginning with the farmer all the way to the exporter. The case of the deployment of military resources to achieve socio-economic transformation in Uganda will be studied for a long time to come.

Uganda has witnessed massive production in coffee and cocoa for export alongside other products with a high domestic demand.

The endorsement for Uganda’s 2024-2027 presidency of the NAM grouping and chairmanship of G77+China is a testament to the country’s visionary leadership and diplomatic acumen.

Uganda now needs to use this opportunity to take a deliberate direction of introducing the economic perspective to these great forums that bring together the most economically challenged but also the very economically capable and willing nations for mutual benefit.

For instance, Uganda-India trade stands at $1.3b. Indian exports currently at $695m, up from $57.4m in 1995.

But what has our brotherly country of India done for us to ensure we also grow? Since 2008, Uganda has been part of India’s Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) scheme that New Delhi offers to almost 35 least developed countries. Based on the scheme, 98% of India’s total tariff lines are duty free. For instance, due to the shortage of rainfall in 2023, most of southeast Asia has faced an onion crisis. India had to ban all onion exports to avert a crisis. In Philippines, a kilogramme of onions costs more than beef at $32.

All of these are NAM and G77 nations. But how can an onion farmer in Rwahi, Ntungamo district who produces tonnes of them a year and gets a very low price, be linked to the Indian DFTP for instance to get maximum profit?

Most farmers, despite their hard work are yet to get ‘online’. Few may even have a passport and thus anything beyond the borders of Uganda presents an unprecedented challenge they may not want to get entangled in.

How is this then to be done? As Uganda chairs the NAM and G77, it is important to explore ways of embedding the doctrine of shared prosperity.

It is without doubt that able minds can through a think tank approach explore ways of establishing a special bureau or fund for trade facilitation amongst member nations.

This could study the production patterns, logistical parameters, customs and taxation among others with the eventual output being a trade portal where countries facing bounty harvests and low prices can access markets and be facilitated by their countries in the trading. The OWC structure for instance would be very vital in the aggregation of produce by smallholder farmers nationwide to meet the required quantities of a particular agricultural product.

As Mahtama Gandhi noted, the world has enough for everyone’s need; but not enough for everyone’s greed.

The established greed-based trade system and it’s aspirations for global dominance rather than global progress is well known.

NAM needs to now engineer a needs-based trade system, where every member is a cognisable contributor to the greater good by leveraging on their unique attributes for mutual benefit.

The highly subsidised agriculture sector in the greed-based trade system would without doubt fight against such an ideological pursuit, but the same tools used to fight colonialism could still be put to use. For God and My Country.

The writer is the public relations officer, Operation Wealth Creation