Tasks ahead for Uganda as it takes over G77 leadership

Uganda yesterday assumed the one-year rotational chairmanship of the G77+China alliance with a busy in-tray that includes pushing for reforms to close the gap between the global north and south.
President Museveni assumed chairmanship of the alliance from Cuba’s Vice President Salvador Valdés during the Third South summit, which ends today.

The Third South Summit is the apex organ of the G77+China alliance. The Kampala summit held the theme: “Leaving No One Behind” from 18 to 22 to discuss social crises from poverty to climate change, trade and investments is the first time the summit is being held in Africa after the second summit 20 years ago in Qatar, and the first summit, five years earlier, in Cuba.

Established 59 years ago with an initial membership of 77 countries, the G77 has since grown to 134 countries, becoming the largest inter-governmental organisation of the UN with the mission to promote members’ collective economic interests. China, the world’s second-largest economy, is not fully a member of the forum but maintains observer status and attends annual meetings hence the tag ‘G77+China.

Uganda’s chairmanship comes at a time when the world is facing multiple challenges like geo-political tension, including wars, conflicts among others, and climate change, which has not only led to the destruction of lives and properties but also denied several countries an opportunity to develop.

The Kampala authorities will also have to maneuver through the hiccups faced by the global south in areas of financing where the global north countries influence on the financial mechanism in terms of setting conditions of lending institutions.
A call for reforms in world lending financial institutions like the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund was among the top issues that came up as Uganda assumed the G-77+ helm.

The UN Secretary General, Mr Antonio Guterres, used the function to advise the global south countries to demand their rights on the international scene.
“Financial institutions and frameworks created after the Second World War still largely correspond to the power relations and the global economy of that time. They must be reformed so that they are truly universal...and are much more responsive to the needs of developing countries,” he said.

During the first session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1964, 77 poor countries signed a pact, to promote economic cooperation and address issues related to development, among others.
China, which was rapidly developing at the time, agreed to support them and has since 1994 been offering political and economic support as membership also grew to the current 134 states.

These annually meet and elect one state who leads for a period of one year.
Mr Museveni told delegates that “leaving no one behind”, the banner of the summit, cannot be realised without adequately addressing the challenges and needs faced by countries in special situations, least developed countries, conflict countries and peoples living under foreign occupation.

“In this regard, we support the call for the international community to provide targeted support to enable these Countries to address their challenges. We also support the urgent reform of the international financial architecture to ensure it is fit for purpose to respond to the financing needs of developing countries,” he said.
Reading on the same page with Mr Guterres, Mr Museveni said international financial institutions and multilateral development banks must support the national priorities of developing countries without infringing on these countries’ sovereignty.

“Uganda is taking over the Chairmanship of the Group at an opportune time when we celebrate our 60th anniversary... We firmly believe that multilateralism remains a fundamental and crucial mechanism for addressing our common challenges together as nations in solidarity,” he said.
Mr Museveni said Uganda’s chairmanship will strive to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and strengthening digital cooperation, among others.