Mahama calls for renewed Non-Aligned Movement to give Global South a stronger voice

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada

September 1, 2026

President John Dramani Mahama has called for a renewed and more action-oriented Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), urging member states to translate the movement’s founding principles into concrete diplomatic and economic action capable of addressing the challenges confronting the Global South.

President Mahama made the call in Belgrade, Serbia, where he addressed a ceremony marking the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement, an organisation established during the Cold War by countries seeking to protect their sovereignty and avoid being drawn into rival geopolitical blocs.

According to the President, although the international environment has changed dramatically since the movement was established in 1961, many of the fundamental challenges that motivated its creation remain relevant.

He argued that developing countries continue to face geopolitical pressure, economic vulnerabilities, unequal access to finance and technology, climate-related challenges and inadequate representation in global decision-making institutions.

For Mahama, the continued relevance of NAM will depend on its ability to move beyond statements and demonstrate that its collective strength can produce practical results.

“We must move from declarations to actions,” the President said, stressing the need for stronger consultation and coordination among member states, particularly at the United Nations and other multilateral institutions.

Ghana’s historic connection to the Non-Aligned Movement

President Mahama used the occasion to remind delegates of Ghana’s historic contribution to the creation and development of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Ghana was represented at the historic Belgrade Conference in 1961, where the movement was formally established. Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was among the prominent leaders associated with the formation of the movement.

Nkrumah worked alongside other influential leaders of the era, including Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito, India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Egypt’s President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Indonesia’s President Sukarno.

The leaders sought to provide newly independent nations with a collective platform through which they could defend their sovereignty and pursue independent foreign policies at a time when the United States-led Western bloc and Soviet-led Eastern bloc were competing for global influence.

Mahama recalled Nkrumah’s famous position:

“We neither face east or west, we face forward.”

The Ghanaian President said the principle continues to reflect Ghana’s approach to international relations and its commitment to maintaining constructive relations with countries while resisting pressure to become an instrument of competing geopolitical interests.

Mahama: Non-alignment must not mean silence

President Mahama also sought to clarify what he believes non-alignment should mean in the contemporary international system.

He argued that non-alignment should not be confused with passivity or neutrality when international law, sovereignty or human rights are under threat.

The President called for NAM to remain an independent collective voice on issues including peace, dialogue, disarmament, development and international justice.

He said member states must neither become passive observers of global events nor allow themselves to be used as instruments of competing geopolitical interests.

Mahama further called for stronger coordination among NAM members, particularly within the United Nations, arguing that the movement’s influence should be measured not simply by the number of countries it represents but by its ability to achieve coordinated diplomatic outcomes.

The call comes at a time when the international system is facing growing geopolitical tensions and disagreements over the effectiveness and fairness of existing global institutions.

Ghana pushes reparations agenda

President Mahama also highlighted Ghana’s growing role in the international campaign for reparatory justice.

He pointed to the adoption of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/250 on March 25, 2026, which Ghana says recognised the trafficking of enslaved Africans and the racialised system of chattel enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.

The resolution received 123 votes in favour, following cooperation involving the African Union, CARICOM and the African diaspora.

Mahama expressed appreciation to fellow NAM countries for supporting Ghana and its partners, describing the outcome as evidence of what developing countries can achieve when they work collectively.

Ghana has positioned itself at the centre of the global reparations campaign, with President Mahama serving as the African Union Champion for Reparations.

He also referred to the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice held in Accra in June, which broadened discussions to include historical injustices associated with indentured labour.

The conference resulted in the establishment of three bodies: a High-Level Advisory Council on Reparatory Justice, a Global Experts Panel on Restitution of Cultural Heritage, and a Global Legal Panel on Reparatory Justice.

Mahama said Ghana intends to continue working with international partners to advance the reparations agenda.

Sudan and Gaza dominate Mahama’s concerns

The Ghanaian President also used the international platform to call for stronger action to address major humanitarian crises, particularly the conflicts in Sudan and Gaza.

On Sudan, Mahama described the situation as one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, pointing to mass displacement, hunger and serious violations against civilians.

He called for sustained international attention, increased humanitarian support and renewed diplomatic efforts aimed at securing peace.

The President also raised concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling for the protection of civilians and full and unhindered humanitarian access.

He reiterated Ghana’s opposition to the selective application of the principles of the United Nations Charter, arguing that international rules must be applied consistently.

Mahama calls for greater economic independence

Beyond political and diplomatic concerns, President Mahama argued that the Global South must strengthen its economic independence.

He said political independence cannot be fully meaningful if developing countries remain economically dependent on external powers and continue to export raw materials while importing finished products.

According to him, resource sovereignty must become a central component of the development strategy of Global South countries.

Many developing economies possess significant natural resources but continue to struggle to capture sufficient value from those resources because raw materials are often exported for processing elsewhere.

Mahama urged NAM countries to deepen cooperation in areas including trade, development financing, technology, climate change and debt management.

He also called for reforms to the global financial architecture to create a system that better reflects the economic realities and development needs of developing nations.

Climate change and technology

Climate change also featured prominently in Mahama’s address.

The President pointed to droughts, desertification, floods, wildfires and other extreme weather events as evidence of the growing threat facing countries across the developing world.

He called for stronger collective action by NAM members to address climate change while ensuring that developing countries receive adequate support to adapt to its consequences.

Mahama also warned that the movement must adapt to emerging challenges, including artificial intelligence, digital inequality and widening development gaps.

He argued that the Global South cannot afford to remain merely a consumer of technological innovations developed elsewhere.

Instead, developing nations must strengthen their capacity to participate meaningfully in the digital and technological transformation of the global economy.

A renewed role for NAM

For President Mahama, the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement provides an opportunity not simply to celebrate its history but to reconsider its future.

The movement was born out of a particular geopolitical era, but Mahama believes its central principles — sovereignty, independence, equality among nations and collective action — remain relevant in a world increasingly described as multipolar.

He called for a stronger and more representative multilateral system in which developing countries have a greater say in decisions affecting the global economy, security, climate and international governance.

The President’s position is that NAM must transform its large membership into tangible diplomatic influence.

That, he argued, requires stronger coordination, clearer priorities and mechanisms to ensure that decisions reached at summits are followed by practical action.

Ghana’s position also reflects a broader push by developing countries for greater representation in global institutions and a restructuring of international systems that many Global South governments consider disproportionately influenced by powerful nations.

“Neither East nor West, but forward together”

Concluding his address, President Mahama reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to working with fellow NAM members to strengthen multilateralism and advance a more equitable international order.

He urged member states to draw inspiration from the original spirit of the Belgrade Conference while adapting the movement to the realities of the 21st century.

The President’s message was ultimately framed around the principle that guided Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, more than six decades ago.

Rather than choosing between rival global power blocs, Mahama said the Global South must pursue its own interests while cooperating with all countries on the basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality.

He concluded with a call for countries to move together towards a more peaceful and equitable international system:

“Neither East nor West, but forward together.”

The call places Ghana once again at the centre of discussions about the future of the Global South and the role developing countries should play in shaping the international order.