Cooperation only path to protecting humanity - Scotland

Non-Aligned Movement Summit
  • 8 Months Ago - 2024-01-22 13:36:00
Addressing the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kampala, Uganda last week, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC urged leaders from 121 Non-Aligned Movement countries to prioritise cooperation as the sole path to safeguarding humanity from intertwined economic, environmental, and security crises.
She highlighted the interconnected crises in global economic, environmental and security systems, emphasising the need for unprecedented international political and economic collaboration to overcome these challenges. Despite acknowledging the strain on the multilateral system, she remained optimistic, stating that collective efforts could shift the world from mistrust and confrontation to dialogue and collaboration.
Drawing attention to the Commonwealth's disproportionate impact from the climate crisis, SG Scotland recounted the devastation in Vanuatu, a member of both the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. Expressing concern over the inadequate international support for climate-vulnerable developing countries, she emphasized the flaws in the global financial system, pushing many nations into a cycle of unsustainable debt.
Calling for a comprehensive reform of the global financial system, she emphasised the need to rewire the entire system, rooted in honesty, evidence, and cooperation across various sectors. Without meaningful reform, she warned of setbacks in human rights, basic needs, and Sustainable Development Goals.
SG Scotland committed to the reform process, asserting that the Commonwealth would persist until all countries had an equal say in decisions affecting them.
She thanked the Non-Aligned Movement for its engagement with the Commonwealth and congratulated President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda on his chairmanship. Additionally, she expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) and commended President Aliyev for his stewardship of the Non-Aligned Movement.
During the summit, SG Scotland engaged with leaders from Commonwealth countries to explore shared interests and opportunities for collaboration.