Kampala – The Non-Aligned Movement concluded its latest summit without a unique or highly ambitious stance regarding the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip, despite it being the dominant subject of discussions among leaders and presidents, as well as in the precursor meetings.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni epitomized this by closing the final session and declaring the end of the summit without reading the closing statement or the pre-prepared document on Palestine that delegates had been formulating over five days of meetings. The attendees only discussed the draft document and announced its general outlines.
In the “Kampala Document,” the political paper adopted by leaders at the end of the 19th summit, the Non-Aligned Movement called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of Israelis held by Palestinian resistance.
The participation of United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, in the summit’s public closing session was notable. He reaffirmed his stance calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of detainees. Guterres added that “it is unacceptable for Israel to refuse to acknowledge Palestinians’ right to their state,” warning that “the expansion of the war poses a threat to international security.”
The Stance on Palestine
The Palestinian issue imposed itself as the most pressing political matter at the Movement’s meetings, surpassing other points of global interest, whether in Africa, the host continent, or geography beyond.
With a clear action plan, “the Arab bloc,” as termed by Uganda’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Vincent Bagire, sought a unified stance on Palestinian affairs. This effort was led by Palestine’s representative to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour.
On the continental level, South Africa led the defense of Palestine overtly and covertly. Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor presented an argument explaining the background of the lawsuit South Africa referred to the International Court of Justice, requesting an extraordinary decision that would compel Israel to immediately cease fire.
With support from its neighbor Namibia, South Africa conducted closed-door political and legal discussions to include the term “genocide” in the political declaration on Palestine. Nevertheless, India’s position, backed by Singapore, prevented a consensus, arguing that the matter is now in the hands of the International Court of Justice, tasked with legally defining Israel’s actions.
South Africa takes the lead in defending Palestine at the conclusion of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit (Reuters)
Changing Positions of Countries
India, one of the founding states of the Movement, did not conceal where it stands concerning the war on Gaza. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stated that “the humanitarian crisis requires a permanent solution, and we must push for the two-state solution,” adding that “it must be clear that terrorism and hostage-taking are unacceptable.”
Delhi’s position represents a departure from its historical support of the Palestinian cause, which dates back to Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party has come to power, India’s inclination has gradually shifted towards Israel, first subtly and now openly.
A surprise stance came from Nairobi, albeit relatively. Kenya, a country close to Israel, described the suffering in Gaza as “a significant problem” and stated that “the time has come to stop the military operation.” Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua declared, “The Israeli response to attacks on October 7th has reached a level making the humanitarian crisis and loss of life catastrophic,” but he affirmed Kenya would not sever its ties with Israel.
African Concerns
Economic issues faced by African countries took center stage at the summit, which bore the theme “Strengthening cooperation for global prosperity.” Every African delegation’s address included talk on economic aspirations, and these issues occupied a significant portion of the summit’s agenda and associated events.
Uganda, the host country, focused on reintroducing its markets as potential destinations for inbound investment, benefiting from optimistic medium-term economic forecasts. There were also muted calls for ending longstanding and emerging conflicts within Africa, especially crises in the continent’s east.
