President John Dramani Mahama has called on members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to intensify international efforts to address conflicts, humanitarian crises and climate change confronting the Global South.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 65th Anniversary Conference of NAM in Belgrade, Serbia, President Mahama said the Movement could not remain silent while millions of people continued to suffer from war, displacement and humanitarian emergencies.
He placed particular emphasis on the situation in Sudan, describing it as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
According to him, more than 12 million people may have been displaced, while widespread hunger and serious violations against civilians continue to affect the population.
President Mahama said the international community must give Sudan sustained political attention and humanitarian assistance, while supporting efforts to secure lasting peace.
He also drew attention to the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where civilians, he said, continue to face severe restrictions on humanitarian access and shortages of food, water, healthcare and electricity.
“Civilians continue to face severe constraints on humanitarian access and critical shortages affecting food, water, health care and electricity,” he said.
The President called for the protection of civilians and full and unhindered humanitarian access, while warning against the selective application of the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Mahama backs Cuba, resource sovereignty
President Mahama also reiterated Ghana’s opposition to the long-standing economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.
He argued that unilateral measures that undermine sovereign equality and the principle of non-interference weaken the multilateral system that countries have committed themselves to protecting.
Turning to development, President Mahama said economic independence must accompany political independence if countries were to have the capacity to determine and pursue their own national priorities.
He called for resource sovereignty to become a central part of the development agenda of NAM countries, particularly those in the Global South.
“We cannot accept a global order in which countries of the Global South remain exporters of raw material and importers of village goods, while our people bear the environmental and social costs of extraction,” he said.
He said African and other developing countries should have greater control over their natural resources and derive more value from them rather than remaining dependent on the export of raw materials.
Climate change requires united response
President Mahama further urged NAM countries to strengthen their collective response to climate change, warning that the growing frequency of extreme weather events demonstrated the seriousness of the crisis.
He cited fires in southern Europe, drought and desertification in Africa, as well as flash floods in China and Nepal linked to melting glaciers, as evidence of the growing impact of climate change.
“Climate change and global warming are real,” he said, stressing that the circumstances required a united international response.
“We must speak with one united voice to advance advocacy and action on climate change. Excellencies, our diversity is a source of strength,” President Mahama stated.
He said NAM’s diversity could be transformed into a source of collective strength by identifying shared interests and focusing the Movement’s efforts on issues where coordinated action could produce meaningful results.
President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working with all NAM members to strengthen multilateralism, promote a fairer international order and ensure that the voice of the Global South carries greater weight in global affairs.
“As we look to the future, our direction remains clear. Neither East nor West, but forward together,” he said.
He urged members to renew the spirit of the Movement’s founding in Belgrade and translate their collective principles into practical action that would improve the lives of their people.
