Prime Minister (PM), Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips has called for strengthened cooperation among the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member states.
This charge was made on Thursday during his speech at the two-day NAM 19th Summit of Heads of States and Government held in Kam-pala, Uganda, a release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated yesterday.
The Non-Aligned Movement is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
During his speech, the PM posited that the theme of the summit, “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” was useful as a driving force to face the current global challenges, such as the pandemic, and climate change, which have impacted the majority of countries in the world.
“Our countries are still recovering from the profound and lasting impacts of the pandemic on our economies and societies.” These issues, he added, are “further compounded by the devastating impacts of climate change, the proliferation of conflicts, shifts in the global economic dynamics, and growing cybersecurity threats enabled by artificial intelligence, to name but a few.”
As part of his recommendations to mitigate these challenges, the PM urged the NAM states to remain committed to the Movement’s principles, while emphasising the importance of cooperation in mitigating the challenges.
“The Non-Aligned Movement must stand as a principled advocate for effective multilateralism in tackling the pressing issues of our time. In keeping with the UN Charter and the Bandung Principles, we must work tirelessly to help turn the global tide towards peace, freedom, and sustainable human progress, underpinned by a more just and inclusive international order.”
Prime Minister Phillips also took the opportunity to outline Guyana’s national priorities which encompasses long-term sustainable development. These included the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, its leadership of CARICOM’s 25 by 2025 food security initiative, and its pursuit of over 80% renewable energy by the end of the decade. These goals, he noted, serve to position Guyana as a willing partner for the advancement of climate action, food security and sustainable development – the major themes underpinning the summit’s focus.
He assured the conference that Guyana stands ready as a partner in global climate action and explain-ed that the government, through the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, is working to protect its forests, biodiversity, and watersheds, and promote clean energy and climate adaptation. This he added, will be done in line with commitments under the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The PM also stressed that as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Guyana is focussed on international peace, especially when it comes to the adherence of international law and the settlements of disputes between states. He also assured that Guyana is committed to the values, principles, and purposes of the Non-Aligned Movement.
“Guyana underscores the critical importance of adherence to the rule of international law, political self-determination, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. These principles must continue to guide our continued engagement and cooperation in the quest for peace and prosperity for all our peoples.”
The Guyanese Prime Minister also congratulated Uganda on assuming the chair of the NAM and expressed confidence in the African country’s leadership, the release added.
