Statement by Honourable Mr. Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal at the NAM Ministerial Meeting Kampala, Uganda, 17-18 January 2024
Theme: “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence”
Your Excellency Gen Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda,
Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Namaste and warm greetings!!
Let me begin by congratulating Your Excellency Gen. Abubakhar on your assumption of the Chair of this important Meeting. I assure you of my delegation’s full support.
I also thank the Government of Uganda for the warm welcome and generous hospitality, extended to us.
I commend the Republic of Azerbaijan for its efficient leadership and stewardship of this Movement since 2019 despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Chair,
Today, when we reflect upon our journey of almost seven decades, we are mindful of the shared values that bind us together – national sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, self-determination, mutual respect and benefit, non-interference, and the pursuit of peace, harmony, equality, dignity, and justice in our international relations.
The Movement became a powerful political voice free from the prejudice of the polarity.
Mr. Chairman,
We are facing a multitude of crises and challenges. They include the persistent impact of COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, conflicts, soaring food and energy prices, inflation, debt burdens to name but a few.
We are witnessing the worst nightmare in Gaza. We all have been bearing the brunt of the Ukraine war.
To our dismay, geopolitical competition and polarization have resurfaced as defining features of our global political order.
It is perplexing that as per the Global Peace Index, the deaths from global conflict increased by 96% in 2023, and 91 countries are now involved in some form of conflict.
On one hand, the world is grappling with pandemic, poverty and hunger, but on the other, arms races continue to rise, and so does global military expenditure.
In addition, human-induced climate catastrophes are creating havoc in the world.
Mr. Chairman,
The combined effect of these multiple and intersecting problems has badly impacted developing countries, particularly poor and vulnerable ones, disproportionately.
In this intensely globalized and deeply interconnected world, deeper cooperation is essential for finding solutions to global or regional problems we are facing.
Yet, promises and commitments made to provide ODA to developing countries and LDCs are not fulfilled. The urgent call for the reform of global economic and financial systems goes unheard. Protectionism and economic nationalism are on the rise.
Therefore, NAM must assert its collective voice to create an inclusive global order where all countries can prosper together, sharing global affluence equitably.
Indeed, NAM, as a strong block with 121 countries representing around 60% of the world’s population, holds both majority and moral strengths to devise solutions to global problems that we face today- from conflicts to climate change; economic injustice to social inequality; the digital divide to debt distress, and hunger to disease.
NAM must play a pivotal role in promoting multilateralism, defending the UN Charter and international law, finding peaceful solutions to disputes, reforming the global financial architectures, creating a just global economic order for shared affluence.
Furthermore, NAM should focus on the achievement of SDGs and other Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the Paris Agreement in the spirit of leaving no one behind, embracing the power of technology to drive progress for all, and ensuring climate justice for vulnerable countries and regions.
To this end, we must advocate for strong collaboration at the global level, while securing collaboration among ourselves for trade, investment, technology transfer, and more.
Let’s support each other’s development aspirations.
Let’s avoid the vicious trap of suspicion and rivalry among us.
Let’s ensure shared global affluence through robust cooperation.
Let NAM evolve into a dynamic forum to shape a global order to address the interlocking global challenges of our time based on its founding principles.
Let it be a forum that actively shapes long overdue reform of global governance architecture, including the reform and strengthening of the United Nations based on the sovereign equality of all nations.
Mr. Chair,
Nepal’s commitment to NAM’s objectives and principles extends beyond the corridors of Summit Meetings. The constitution of Nepal itself embraces the principles of NAM as a basis of her foreign policy.
We always conduct independent, objective, balanced, and non-aligned foreign policy.
We never join any military alliance and never accept to be a part of the security pact of any country.
We are effortful to graduate from LDC status and achieve our aspiration of development and prosperity.
As Chair of the LDCs, we anticipate a robust cooperation framework and renewed partnership with all our development partners and fellow members of NAM, for investment, resources, capacity building, and technologies in the true spirit of North-South, South-South, and Triangular Cooperation.
Nepal is committed to taking up its role to make the world peaceful, prosperous, and more sustainable for us as well as the generations to come.
In conclusion, Mr. Chair, I appreciate the progress achieved by the Senior Officials Meeting on the Kampala declaration and outcome document to be adopted by this Summit.
I am confident that this Summit will be a historic one in deepening our solidarity, cooperation, and collaboration.
Thank you.