President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Belgrade, Serbia, to participate in the summit commemorating the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
President Mahama’s participation underscores Ghana’s historic contribution to the movement, having been one of its founding members in 1961 under the leadership of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
The summit is being held under the theme, “The Legacy of Non-Alignment: Lessons for Today’s World,” and is expected to provide an opportunity for member states to reaffirm the fundamental principles of the Non-Aligned Movement.
These principles include respect for the sovereign equality and territorial integrity of states, non-interference in the internal affairs of countries, peaceful coexistence, and stronger economic cooperation among developing nations.
The summit is being hosted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, with high-level participation from more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.
With 120 member states, the Non-Aligned Movement remains the largest international grouping outside the United Nations.
Established during the Cold War, NAM was created to provide developing countries with an independent diplomatic and political path rather than aligning with either the Western capitalist bloc or the Soviet socialist bloc.
Ghana played a significant role in shaping the movement’s early vision.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was among the prominent leaders who championed the principles of non-alignment alongside Yugoslavia’s President Josip Broz Tito, India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Indonesia’s President Sukarno.
President Mahama’s presence at the 65th anniversary summit therefore represents not only Ghana’s continued engagement with the Non-Aligned Movement but also the country’s enduring commitment to multilateralism, sovereign equality and cooperation among developing nations.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
