Uganda is in preparations to host the two high level international summits of Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of Seventy Seven (G77) comprising of 120 member states and 134 member states respectively, due to take place from January 15-20, 2024 for the former, and January 21-23, 2024 for the latter, where Uganda will assume the Chairmanship.
As Uganda is in high gear to host the two summits which will be held at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala with NAM holding its 19th summit under the theme, Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence, while G77 theming under Leaving No One Behind, the question being asked by some people is, how is Uganda prepared to host the two high level summits? This is derived from the nature of Kampala City.
According to Muhammad Nsereko, a Ugandan Member of Parliament who has represented Kampala Central Division constituency since 2011, the roads in the city are in a sorry state, pointing out the issue of potholes.
Nsereko who was presenting before the floor of Parliament during the plenary session held on Thursday, October 5, 2023, asked how Uganda will host the NAM and G77 summits when the roads in Kampala City are in a poor state and full of potholes.
He called for Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to put roads to standard to make the city and Uganda appealing and admirable to boost tourism.
However, in a bid to prepare for the hosting of the Non-Aligned Movement and G77+ China Summits, Uganda has displayed her readiness to meaningfully contribute to the efforts of the global community in tackling shared challenges.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while meeting the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary regional whips at State House Entebbe on Monday, March 20, 2023, said that, Uganda is ready to host NAM, and she was chosen basing on her independent position in the world and her neutrality regarding the international issues.
“Uganda was selected to host and the reason to select Uganda was because of our independent position in the world. We didn’t apply,” President Museveni said.
He noted that, this will be the biggest summit to be hosted in Uganda, bigger than African Union in 2010 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2007, adding that, it will help in marketing Uganda and boost her tourism.
Lucy Nakyobe, the Chief Executive Officer of the organizing committee of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77 summits, in April this year noted that, several delegates are expected for both summits and adequate preparations have been made.
She added that, so far, more than 30 major hotels with the room capacity of over 7,000 for delegates with various spectacular features like conference halls, a 24/7 transport, distinct architectural designs, dignified locations with a natural atmosphere from the fresh aquatic life, and medical facilities have been setup in Kampala and Entebbe, supplemented by other hotels at the tourist sites.
Nakyobe revealed that, the construction of a convention center is under way, and is nearing completion.
The organizing committee stated that, having people from different countries visit Uganda is something that will enable Ugandans to boost their local businesses, especially the cultural galleries.
The two summits will help boost local businesses in that it will enhance open trade since Uganda will open her market to the outside world, which in turn will create value addition to the locally made or produced goods. As a result, this will introduce and ease access for local businesses and products to international markets, not withstanding investors, which in the long run will create value integration between the countries’ economies.
In April 2023, a delegation from Uganda led by the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, were in South Africa for a two-day visit ahead of Uganda’s hosting of the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) where Uganda will assume the chairmanship from 2023 to 2026, taking over from Azerbaijan.
The delegates, among who was Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s Permanent Secretary to the United Nations met with Dr. Zane Dangor, the Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) who promised his commitment to the cause.
Uganda was admitted to the membership of NAM during the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government that was held from October 5-10, 1964, in Cairo, Egypt. This was in a period of only three years since the founding of the movement in Belgrade in 1961, and two years since Uganda attained her independence from the British on October 9, 1962. This paved the way for Uganda to be one of the forty-seven (47) Member States to attend the Summit.
