Non-Aligned Movement criticises Israel’s war on Gaza at Kampala summit

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Non-Aligned Movement criticises Israel’s war on Gaza at Kampala summit​

Foreign ministers within the 120-member bloc have adopted a resolution at the summit, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza..

Kenya's President William Ruto talks to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea looks on at the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala, Uganda, on January 19, 2024 [Abubaker Lubowa/Reuters]


Leaders of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries have denounced Israel’s military campaign on the Gaza Strip and demanded an immediate ceasefire during a summit of the 120-member bloc.

“Since October 7, we have witnessed one of the cruellest genocidal acts ever to be recorded by history,” Cuba’s vice president, Salvador Valdes Mesa, said in a speech to delegates on Friday in Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

“How can the Western countries, who claim to be so civilised, justify the murder of women and children in Gaza, the indiscriminate bombings of hospitals and schools and deprivation of access to safe water and food?” he questioned.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union Commission, called for an immediate end to what he called the “unjust war against the Palestinian people”.

Nearly all African countries belong to the NAM, comprising nearly half its members, but its membership includes countries around the globe, from India and Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, Iran, Chile, Peru and Colombia.

The organisation was founded in 1965 by countries opposed to joining either of the two major Cold War-era military and political blocs and is the largest global bloc after the UN. It is expected to grant membership to South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, on Friday.

Uganda currently heads NAM after a handover to President Yoweri Museveni from Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliye, the outgoing chairperson, at the start of the summit. Museveni will chair the organisation until 2027.

The Kampala summit, which began on January 15, runs until January 20.

Dozens of heads of state and senior officials of NAM members are attending the gathering, including South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, Algerian Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui and his Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, counterpart Russel Dlamini.

‘Summit of solidarity’​

Riyadh Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, has called the summit a “summit of solidarity”.

Al Jazeera’s Catherine Soi, reporting from Kampala, said UN reforms and other issues globally including the ongoing war in Gaza are on the agenda at the summit.

Already, foreign ministers within NAM have adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and unhindered humanitarian assistance for Palestinians caught in the conflict. The resolution also supports South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

“The foreign ministers struggled to find the right language to address the killings in Gaza, but agreed genocide is now a legal issue that needs to be decided by the International Court of Justice,” said Soi.

Israel launched its offensive on Gaza after an attack by the armed group Hamas on October 7 that killed about 1,400 people, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 24,700 Palestinians, according to health authorities in Gaza.

Israel has said it is acting in self-defence and rejected the accusations of genocide.

Speaking at the summit, Ramaphosa said the war in Gaza had demonstrated the UN’s inadequacy, particularly its Security Council, where the United States has vetoed several resolutions critical of Israel.

“We should establish a system of global governance that is fair and equitable, and has the capacity to respond to the needs of all persons in situations of threat and harm,” the South African president said.

Non-Aligned Movement criticises Israel’s war on Gaza at Kampala summit​

Foreign ministers within the 120-member bloc have adopted a resolution at the summit, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza..

www.aljazeera.com

 

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Iran is not alone​

The successful Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran shows that Iran is far from being isolated internationally and that in fact it remains a major player in the West Asian region.

The 16th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) took place in Tehran from August 26 to 31 at a time when war clouds were hovering over the horizon in West Asia. Israel was making repeated military threats against Iran and the situation in Syria was threatening to get out of control. Israel and its major ally, the United States, tried to persuade India, Egypt and other important countries to either boycott the summit or send low-level delegations. But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not have avoided a trip to Tehran given Indias status as a founding member of the movement. Besides, a visit by the Indian Prime Minister had been long-pending. India was duty-bound to allay the misgivings in Iran about some of its recent policy decisions relating to the imposition of unilateral sanctions by the West. Also, bilateral issues needed to be discussed.

Ahead of the summit, India, Iran and Afghanistan held discussions to finalise the plan to develop the strategic Chabahar port in south-eastern Iran. This port will provide an alternative route for Indian goods to Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

Iran is not alone

World Affairs News:Iran is not alone

frontline.thehindu.com

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16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement - Iran​

The 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held from 26 to 31 August 2012 in Tehran, Iran. The summit was attended by leaders of 120 countries, including 24 presidents, 3 kings, 8 prime ministers and 50 foreign ministers.

The summit's framework was the "Final Document" adopted during the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement Coordinating Bureau which was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 7 to 10 May. The Foreign Ministry also said that the agenda would primarily consist of issues pertaining to nuclear disarmament, human rights and regional issues. Iran also intended to draw up a new peace resolution aiming to resolve the Syrian civil war.

The summit consisted of two preceding events: a "Senior Officials Meeting" on 26 and 27 August 2012, and a "Ministerial Meeting" on 28 and 29 August 2012. The leaders summit took place on 30 and 31 August. Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi officially handed the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, during the inaugural ceremony of Leaders' Meeting. Iran will hold the NAM presidency for four years until the 17th summit in Venezuela in 2016.

16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

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Venezuela accuses US of spying on Non-Aligned summit​

Vice President M Hamid Ansari, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and other world leaders at a group photo at the 17th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) at Margarita Island in Venezuela. Photo: PTI

Venezuela took over the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement from Iran at the summit​

Venezuela accused the United States of spying on a Non-Aligned Movement summit it recently hosted, saying Venezuelan fighter jets had intercepted a US surveillance plane and forced it to turn back.

President Nicolas Maduro's latest beef with Washington comes after Venezuela hosted leaders from the 120-member group on the Caribbean island of Margarita last weekend, a meeting that featured numerous jabs at US foreign policy.

"We know a military aircraft carried out flight patterns 130 nautical miles from Margarita island, collecting information, carrying out intelligence operations on the summit," said Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez on Tuesday.

He said a US Coast Guard Dash 8 plane was detected near Venezuelan airspace on Friday and Saturday, "flagrantly violating international norms" by failing to announce itself to the Venezuelan military's air traffic controllers.

"Our fighter jets, commanded by the president, flew out, intercepted the aircraft and informed (its crew) of the violation it was committing. The aircraft agreed to return to its base," on the island of Curacao, the minister said.
He called the incident a "provocation" that "underestimated" Venezuela's capacity to respond.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Venezuela would present a formal protest.

Venezuela took over the presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement from Iran at the summit.

Maduro sought to use the occasion to strengthen old alliances, amid a severe economic crisis that has left him fighting for his political survival and increasingly isolated on the international stage.

The Non-Aligned Movement — founded as a backlash against US and Soviet dominance during the Cold War — has a history of prickly relations with Washington.

The United States and Venezuela likewise have a history of bad blood under Maduro and Hugo Chavez, his late predecessor and mentor.

Caracas and Washington withdrew their ambassadors in 2010, and Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of backing coup plots against him.

https://www.business-standard.com/a...ing-on-non-aligned-summit-116092100061_1.html

 

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• 19 January 2024
• President Ramaphosa, Speeches

Country Statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa during 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, Kampala, Republic of Uganda, 19 January 2024

Your Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda and Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement,

Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellencies, Ministers and Ambassadors,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Government and people of Uganda for the warm reception we have received here in the Pearl of Africa.

We thank our former Chairperson, His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan for steering our Movement for the past three years.

We wish our new Chairperson, His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, all the best and convey our full support as Uganda takes over the chairship of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 plus China.

This Summit takes place at a time when the world is faced with many challenges exacerbated by geopolitical dynamics and conflicts in various regions of the world.

The wars taking place in Ukraine and Palestine are causing grave humanitarian and health crises and contributing to international instability.

The supremacy of multilateralism as embodied by the United Nations Charter and international law is being undermined exactly when it is needed most.

At a time when the world appears to be once again divided between east and west, the Non-Aligned Movement should continue to assert its independence based on our common values.

South Africa remains steadfast in advancing its non-aligned approach in the maintenance of international peace and security and advocating for inclusive dialogue and the peaceful political settlement of disputes.

The countries of the world are interlinked and interdependent as never before.

They are linked through technology, trade, global value chains and international capital flows. They share common challenges of climate change, pandemics, terrorism and illicit financial flows.

This requires a globally agreed set of rules that applies equally to all, and that establishes room for development for the poorest and most disadvantaged.

This interconnected world calls for a collective determination to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and to address the economic, social, health and environmental challenges that every country faces.

We need to give dedicated attention to the reform of global governance institutions, including the United Nations.

We must give meaning to the principle of sovereign equality of nations and ensure that the voice of the African Continent and the Global South is strengthened in the broader multilateral system.

As the Non-Aligned Movement, we must continue to work together in support of:

• the right to self-determination of the peoples of Palestine and Western Sahara
• the lifting of the economic blockade against Cuba and unilateral sanctions against Iran, Venezuela and Zimbabwe
• reaffirmation of the inalienable right of access to nuclear materials, equipment and technology for peaceful purposes
• upholding the centrality of the UN Charter and international law in the peaceful resolution of conflict
• defeating the scourge of terrorism and its root causes
• the alleviation and eradication of poverty and underdevelopment.

South Africa calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza.

We call for the release of all hostages and the resumption of talks on a just solution that will end the suffering of the Palestinian people.

We further call for unhindered and expanded humanitarian access to allow for vital aid and basic services to meet the needs of everyone living in Gaza.

As a consequence of the ever-worsening situation of the people of Gaza, South Africa has asked the International Court of Justice to issue provisional measures ordering Israel to stop its military campaign in Gaza.

This is necessary to protect against further, severe and irreparable harm to the rights of the Palestinian people.

South Africa recently made financial contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency and the UNHCR to support their humanitarian operations in Gaza and the broader Palestinian refugees.

In addition, many ordinary South Africans and NGOs have mobilised resources to assist the people of Gaza.

The conflict has again illustrated the inadequacy of the United Nations, in particular the UN Security Council, in maintaining international peace and security.

We should establish a system of global governance that is fair and equitable and has the capacity to respond to the needs of all persons in situations of threat and harm.

As the Non-Aligned Movement, we should not only adhere to the equality of nations, but also to the equality of human beings.

A world free of domination by the strong and powerful is as important as a world free of sexism.

We must remain committed to the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls and achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality.

We must reaffirm our commitment to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control as a necessary contribution towards the achievement of a secure world for all.

Now is the time for the Non-Aligned Movement to strengthen cooperation.

Now is the time to draw fully on our founding principle of solidarity and to enhance our commitment towards development, peace, security and human rights.

If we do so, if we move forward with unity and purpose, we will emerge from the difficulties that confront us all much stronger than ever before.

I thank you.

Issued by: The Presidency

Pretoria