President John Dramani Mahama has challenged the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to translate its collective influence into concrete action, warning that declarations alone are no longer enough to address the world’s growing challenges.
President Mahama made the call in Belgrade, Serbia, at a high-level commemorative meeting marking the 65th anniversary of the first Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries.
He said the Movement must reassess how it uses its considerable membership and influence, particularly at a time of rising global tensions and uncertainty.
“We must move from declarations to actions,” President Mahama said.
Reflecting on the origins of NAM, he recalled the position of former Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito at the Movement’s inaugural conference in Belgrade on September 1, 1961.
President Mahama said Tito’s assertion that non-aligned countries had a right to participate in resolving problems threatening global peace remained applicable 65 years later.
He said NAM could not afford to measure its relevance simply by the size of its membership, but must demonstrate its collective weight through coordinated diplomacy and tangible outcomes.
“This profound assertion remains very relevant. The movement’s strength should be measured not only by our numbers but also by our ability to translate its collective weight into coordinated diplomacy and practical outcomes,” he said.
President Mahama therefore called for stronger coordination among NAM member states at the United Nations and other multilateral institutions where their interests converge.
“We must strengthen consultation and coordination among member states, particularly within the United Nations and other multilateral institutions where our interests converge,” he said.
He also demanded stronger follow-up to decisions adopted at NAM summits and ministerial conferences, urging members to concentrate their efforts on strategic priorities where the Movement can exert meaningful influence.
“We should therefore strengthen follow-up decisions of our summits and ministerial conferences and focus on strategic priorities where the movement can have meaningful impact,” he said.
The President’s comments come as the international system faces multiple security, economic and geopolitical pressures, renewing questions about the ability of multilateral groupings to convert political commitments into coordinated responses.
The commemorative meeting in Belgrade marked 65 years since the first gathering of Non-Aligned leaders in the Serbian capital.
President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, assured NAM members of his country’s commitment to stronger partnerships with the Movement.
He said Serbia was seeking to create more opportunities for students from NAM countries to pursue education in the country as part of efforts to deepen those relationships.
