President’s 2024 work schedule begins with key summits
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa kicks off his work schedule for the 2024 calendar year with two strategic multilateral meetings here in Uganda where he is expected to also seek support for Zimbabwe’s election to the United Nations
Security Council.
The meetings of NonAligned Movement (NAM) members and the G77 Nations plus China come at a time the President is entrenching the country’s “friend to all and enemy to none” thrust and positioning Zimbabwe to be an upper middle class economy by 2030.
The President, who has been on vacation since late December, is expected to leave the country for Uganda today to attend the two key summits.
Deputy Chief Secretary, Presidential Communications, in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba yesterday said the impending summits are strategic to Zimbabwe.
“This is a critical meeting for us. We hosted NAM in 1986 and we also became a member of the G77, which is NAM’s ginger group. So, Zimbabwe’s participation is as crucial as ever.
“Besides, with the huge numbers that NAM has, we are using that platform to look for our nomination to the United Nations Security Council.”
Mr Charamba also said the two summits would provide an opportunity for the southern African country to realign with all friendly nations globally.
“There is a realignment of the global order, as you notice, away from the traditional Western dominated world and economic order. NAM has always been an anti-imperial organisation. You are not seeing their own programme. There is a component to do with the economic and social transformation of the global order. It is natural that Zimbabwe will associate with such a drift,” he said.
Uganda is hosting the NAM Summit, which will be followed by the G77+ China indaba, with President Yoweri
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Museveni telling the world that the summit is a platform for increased business engagements and a dialogue platform to enhance private sector investments and business linkages among members states.
More than 100 investors are already here attending the business forum ahead of the heads of State meeting to be held thereafter. Enhancing business and economic relations among NAM members will be key on the summit’s agenda. The movement will make lasting connections for trade going forward as local, regional and international investors meet to cement relations.
Uganda assumed the chairmanship of NAM on Monday and will chair the grouping for the next three years.
Uganda will also chair the G77+ China for one year. As chair of NAM, Uganda will be in charge of coordinating and managing the affairs of the movement.
NAM started in 1961, as a movement primarily to contribute to the decolonisation of countries that had not yet gotten their independence. It has a membership of 120 countries with set principles, which include respect for each other’s sovereignty, non- interference in the internal matters of states and respect for fundamental human rights, among others. NAM is second only to the United Nations in terms of it’s global reach and influence, and its members are committed to the neutrality of all nations.
Zimbabwe, as a proud member of NAM, has been emphasising the importance of cooperation among countries. President Mnangagwa has championed a world of equality and has been emphasising that multilateralism is essential in overcoming challenges such as climate change and civil wars.