Govt seeks Shs15b to facilitate NAM chairmanship activities
Delegates attend the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Kampala on January 16. Uganda has taken over as the chair of NAM for a period of three years. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Uganda is currently hosting the 19th Summit of the NAM, which will be followed immediately by the G77+ China summit.
- As chair of NAM, Uganda will be in charge of coordinating and managing the affairs of the Movement.
After assuming the chairmanship of the Non- Aligned Movement (NAM) on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested for Shs15b to facilitate its coordinating activities for the period of three years.
Uganda is currently hosting the 19th Summit of the NAM, which will be followed immediately by the G77+ China summit.
It will then chair the former for three years and the latter for one year. As chair of NAM, Uganda will be in charge of coordinating and managing the affairs of the Movement.
The funds
Mr Fred Opolot (Pingire County), also chairperson of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, presented the request to Parliament’s Budget Committee for the funds to be made available in the Budget for Financial Year 2024/2025.
“It is seeking strictly for the post-NAM activities after the summit, Uganda is going to chair NAM for three years and G77 for one year so the head office will require Shs4b over the three year period. The missions abroad will require Shs11b for the same,” Mr Opolot told Daily Monitor in an interview on January 16.
He added: “We put this request before the budget committee because it is imperative to ensure the smooth running of the chairmanship of NAM. A lot of work has to be done. Research, meetings will be held and mini summits in between these three years.”
Dr Sam Omara, the head of public diplomacy, said the funds are needed.
“There are many activities, including follow-up conferences, follow-up on negotiations on issues that will not have been completed. For example, climate change; these are emerging issues that need follow-up in different countries and you definitely need financing,” Dr Omara said.
Sources reveal that the Committee questioned why the budget request was delayed. Government has spent about Shs60b to organise the NAM summit.
Mr Dicksons Kateshumbwa (Sheema Municipality MP), tasked the Committee on Foreign Affairs to explain how spending the funds will benefit the country.
“You know we are focusing on fiscal consolidation, but we would like to know results of last year in terms of commercial diplomacy. What does it intend to contribute because now it is about economics and return on investment. If we give this money, what do we expect in terms of exports?” he asked.
“The NAM activities are going on within the country and according to their report here, a provision of Shs5.6b was transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Office of the President, but you are asking for the post-activities that are going on. With the activities that are going on, who is funding those activities? Is it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or it is the Office of the President?” Mr Stephen Kangwagye (Bukanga South) asked.
Explanation
But Mr Opolot replied: “It is a privilege to chair this and we have to live up to it. The money is not for organising the summit, it is for the subsequent years, that is the three years of Uganda’s chairmanship.”
Mr Opolot underscored the value of Uganda chairing the NAM, saying it would increase market access for our exports, attract Foreign Direct Investment, promote tourism and attract investors to Uganda.
Foreign missions have been perpetually underfunded, which affects diplomatic activities. Last year, a report by the budget committee highlighted underfunding as a major impediment to smooth running of the country’s diplomatic activities.
The ministry suffered a 40 percent budget cut in the 2023/2024 financial year.
