President John Dramani Mahama has arrived in Belgrade, Serbia, to participate in a high-level meeting marking the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
The meeting brings together leaders and senior representatives from more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America to reflect on the relevance of the movement in today’s changing global order.
President Mahama’s participation underscores Ghana’s historic role as a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, which was established in 1961 during the Cold War.
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The summit is being hosted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić under the theme, “The Legacy of Non-Alignment: Lessons for Today’s World.”
The discussions are expected to reaffirm the movement’s founding principles, including sovereign equality among nations, respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and stronger economic cooperation among developing countries.
President Mahama’s presence at the anniversary meeting also provides an opportunity for Ghana to reaffirm its longstanding commitment to multilateralism, sovereignty and cooperation among developing countries.
Ghana is among the countries that helped shape the Non-Aligned Movement at its founding in 1961.
The movement emerged during the Cold War as developing nations sought to pursue an independent foreign policy without formally aligning with either the Western capitalist bloc or the Soviet socialist bloc.
With 120 member states, the Non-Aligned Movement is the largest international grouping outside the United Nations.
Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, played a significant role in advancing the vision of non-alignment and strengthening cooperation among newly independent African and developing countries.
Nkrumah worked alongside other influential founding figures, including Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and Indonesian President Sukarno.
The founding leaders promoted a diplomatic framework that sought to protect the independence of developing nations while encouraging collective action on global political and economic issues.
The 65th anniversary meeting comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, economic challenges and renewed debates over the future of the international system.
For President Mahama, the summit offers a platform for Ghana to engage other developing countries on issues of mutual interest while reinforcing the principles that have historically guided the Non-Aligned Movement.
The discussions in Belgrade are expected to examine how the movement’s legacy can inform responses to contemporary global challenges and strengthen cooperation among its member states.