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KAMPALA - The president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, has described the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala, Uganda as a success.

“Allow me to extend my sincere congratulations to the Government of Uganda for successfully hosting the 19th Non-Aligned Movement summit as well as the Third South Summit which of course will open tomorrow [Sunday],” he said.

Francis made the remarks on Saturday while addressing the media at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort Hotel ahead of the closing ceremony of NAM summit later the same day.

he president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dennis Francis, has thanked the people and the Government of Uganda for the “generous welcome my delegation and I have received”. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

President Yoweri Museveni, who officially took over the rotating three-year chairmanship of NAM from Azerbaijan on Friday, delivered his closing statement during the closing session moments after an address by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Museveni will also chair the Group of 77 and China (G77+China), whose summit officially opens on Sunday (January 21) at the same venue, for the whole of this year.

“I wish them every success in chairing these two important groups whose reach and diverse character on the Global South is so critical to the UN system and to multilateralism as NAM represent 55% of the global population and the Group of 77+China is the largest negotiating bloc of developing countries in the United Nations,” said Francis.

He thanked the people and the Government of Uganda for the “generous welcome my delegation and I have received”.

Dennis (R) arrives prior to the press conference.

Following the joining of South Sudan at this summit, NAM now comprises 121 countries — 54 from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean, and two from Europe.  

It also includes the non-UN member state of Palestine, 17 other observer countries and 10 observer organisations. 

The bloc was founded in 1961 in the middle of a world split by antagonism between the USA and the former Soviet Union and the alliances they led.  

It was created to enable developing countries to assert their independence from the competing claims of the two superpowers and advance their interests.   

The G77+ China, on the other hand, was established in June 1964 by 77 developing countries and it now has over 130 member states.