JOHN BAPTIST

Uganda’s government has revealed that 43 heads of state and 100 nations have so far confirmed their attendance for the forthcoming Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77 + China summits slated for 15 to 23 of this month at Speke Resort Hotel, Munyonyo.

The revelation was made by the Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi while addressing the media at the office of the Prime Minister.

With the clock ticking backwards towards the long-awaited Non-Aligned Movement and G77+China summits, Uganda’s government has said that 100 states and 43 heads of state have so far made their attendance official.

With a total of 120 states for NAM and 135 for G77+China, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance Dr Christ Baryomunsi who represented the Prime Minister affirmed to journalists that the number of confirmed nations is so far good as it currently stands at 80% of the total member states.

To benefit from these summits, Baryomunsi called upon Ugandans to position themselves in everything they are doing as over 5000 delegates are expected to attend the summits.

Initial reports indicated how the government had planned to make DNA and Covid-19 tests for attendees but Baryomunsi said this is no longer a prerequisite as most visitors refused to take the tests.

Baryomunsi finally condemned those criticizing the government over the various infrastructural developments saying these are here to stay even after the summits.

Commenting on whether the continued attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels will not inconvenience the summits, the Minister for Security Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi assured a peaceful and secure environment saying ADF is not a threat to Uganda.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was founded in 1961 with the view to advancing the interests of developing countries in the context of the Cold War confrontation whereas the Group of 77 (G-77) was founded on June 15, 1964, after the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. On this occasion, seventy-seven developing countries came together and endorsed the "Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries.