Kampala: Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain today reaffirmed Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to the founding principles of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), calling for renewed global solidarity, justice, and cooperation to ensure shared prosperity and sustainable peace. Addressing the 19th Mid-Term Ministerial Conference of NAM in Kampala, Uganda, Touhid said Bangladesh is undergoing “a period of profound renewal,” marked by inclusive reforms to strengthen institutions and uphold accountability.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Touhid highlighted Bangladesh’s focus on pursuing inclusive reforms, ensuring rights, and upholding accountability, emphasizing that true progress involves investing in people, empowering women, and harnessing the potential of youth, in line with NAM’s vision of inclusive development. He also drew attention to Bangladesh’s humanitarian efforts, particularly the hosting of 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Myanmar, and urged the international community to facilitate their early return to alleviate Bangladesh’s socio-economic and environmental strain.
Touhid reiterated Bangladesh’s support for the Palestinian people, denouncing ongoing violence and calling for a two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital. He emphasized the need for complete disarmament, advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons and the reallocation of resources towards health, education, and social safety in developing countries.
Furthermore, Touhid rejected unilateral coercive measures imposed outside the UN framework, describing them as violations of international law that hinder development and erode trust in multilateralism. He urged NAM members to unite in safeguarding their common interests and advancing collective prosperity, stressing that true security and prosperity are contingent on inclusivity.
He underscored NAM’s continuing relevance in addressing global challenges such as conflicts, climate change, and economic inequality, reaffirming the principles of sovereignty, equality, non-intervention, peaceful settlement, solidarity, and justice. Touhid emphasized the importance of NAM unity in navigating a world marked by fragmentation and mistrust, advocating for reforms within the United Nations and NAM to strengthen its collective voice.
Concluding his address, Touhid reiterated Bangladesh’s steadfast commitment to NAM’s ideals of equality, solidarity, and justice, and its dedication to building a just, peaceful, and prosperous world for future generations. Themed “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” the three-day ministerial meeting reviews progress on action points adopted at the NAM Summit held earlier in 2024. Established in 1961, NAM remains the largest group of nations outside formal military or political blocs, with 120 member states. Uganda assumed the NAM chairmanship in 2024 under President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, marking a renewed phase of South-South cooperation.