President John Dramani Mahama has strongly distinguished the cardinal tenets of the Non-Aligned Movement from mere neutrality, insisting that non-alignment must not mean silence in the face of injustice or the dramatic shifts in the global order.
Addressing the 65th Non-Aligned Movement anniversary in Belgrade, he stressed that the founding principles of the Movement, which emerged during the Cold War and in an era of a bipolar world, remain relevant in addressing contemporary economic, political and developmental challenges within the international system.
President Mahama said one of NAM’s enduring roles was to advance the interests of the Global South and ensure that developing countries enjoyed a fairer and more equitable international economic order.
“However, Ghana reaffirms that non-alignment has never been understood as neutrality in the face of injustice, conflict, or the erosion of international law. The movement remains highly relevant in today’s international system, and although it emerged during the Cold War as a political movement, its role has evolved to address contemporary economic, political, and developmental challenges.” He stated
He noted that although the international order had changed significantly since the movement was founded in 1961, developing countries continued to face pressures that constrained their strategic autonomy through geopolitical competition, economic vulnerabilities, unequal access to finance and technology, climate change and an international system in which the Global South remained inadequately represented.
The President further called for stronger coordination among member states to confront challenges including climate change, artificial intelligence, digital inequality and widening development gaps.
He stressed that NAM must adopt a unified approach within the multilateral system and advance common positions on key global issues, including reforms to the international financial architecture.
“We must strengthen coordination among member states and translate our shared principles into practical action. As we confront challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, digital inequality, and widening development gaps, NAM must remain a united voice for peace, sovereignty, sustainable development, and a more just and equitable world,” he stated.
President Mahama said Ghana, in the tradition of its first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, understood non-alignment as a policy of positive, principled and active engagement rather than passive neutrality.
He recalled Nkrumah’s philosophy of “positive neutrality,” stressing that the concept was rooted in affirmative politics and positive action.
President Mahama particularly renewed Ghana’s call for reform of the United Nations Security Council, maintaining that Africa could no longer be excluded from permanent representation despite accounting for a significant proportion of issues before the Council.
He also criticised what he described as selectivity and indifference in the international community’s response to humanitarian crises, insisting that international law must be applied consistently.
On Sudan, President Mahama said the international community had too often turned its attention away from a humanitarian catastrophe that had displaced millions of people and exposed civilians to widespread suffering and grave violations.
He called for sustained political attention, humanitarian support and a renewed commitment to peace in the war-torn country.
President Mahama also urged the Movement to move beyond declarations and ensure that its collective influence translated into practical outcomes, particularly through stronger consultation and coordination among member states within the United Nations and other multilateral institutions.
The call formed part of a renewed push at the 65th anniversary meeting for a more action-oriented Non-Aligned Movement capable of strengthening the collective voice of the Global South and responding to contemporary global challenges while remaining grounded in its founding principles.
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