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President John Dramani Mahama has rejected the idea that the Non-Aligned Movement’s commitment to non-alignment should mean remaining neutral when countries face injustice, conflict or violations of international law.
Speaking at a Non-Aligned Movement meeting in Belgrade, President Mahama said the movement must be prepared to take a clear position on issues that threaten peace, human rights and the international rules-based system.
“However, Ghana reaffirms that non-alignment must never be understood as neutrality in the face of injustice, conflict, or the erosion of international law,” he said.
President Mahama said the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) remains relevant despite emerging during the Cold War, arguing that its role has evolved to address the changing political, economic and developmental challenges facing countries today.
He said NAM continues to provide an important platform for countries of the Global South to push for a fairer international economic system and greater representation in global decision-making.
The President also reflected on the foreign policy of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who promoted an independent path for newly independent African countries during the Cold War.
He recalled Nkrumah’s famous position:
“We neither face east or west, we face forward.”
President Mahama said Ghana’s approach at the time was to maintain positive relations with all countries without becoming caught up in the rivalry between the major power blocs.
He said that principle remains relevant in today’s increasingly multipolar world, even though the challenges facing developing countries have changed.
Among the major challenges he identified were geopolitical tensions, economic vulnerabilities, unequal access to finance and technology, climate change and the limited representation of developing countries in international decision-making.
He therefore called on NAM member states to strengthen their collective voice on issues affecting global peace, development and justice.
President Mahama said member countries should not become passive observers of global events or allow themselves to be used in the geopolitical competition between powerful nations.
Instead, he urged NAM to develop an independent and united position capable of influencing the international system and promoting a more representative and fairer global order.
He pointed to ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises as areas where the international community must speak out and take action.
On Sudan, President Mahama said the scale of the humanitarian suffering requires sustained international attention, humanitarian assistance and a renewed commitment to peace.
He also called for the protection of civilians and unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza, while criticising what he described as the selective application of the principles of the United Nations Charter.
The President’s remarks reinforce Ghana’s position that non-alignment should be about independent decision-making, not indifference to injustice.
Source: Omanghana
