Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland KC is set to participate as a Special Guest at the Non-Aligned Movement Heads of State Summit in Kampala from January 19-20, following an invitation from President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.
Expressing gratitude for the invitation, Secretary-General Scotland commended President Museveni’s leadership as the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement which will last up to 2026.
During her visit, Secretary-General Scotland aims to engage with leaders from Commonwealth nations, seeking their insights on economic and environmental challenges and fostering collaborative strategies for more targeted assistance.
The Non-Aligned Movement, established in 1961 and sharing 44 of its 120 members with the Commonwealth, is a coalition primarily comprising developing countries united in advancing shared interests.
Additionally, Secretary-General Scotland will update leaders on preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for October in Samoa.
Emphasizing the summit’s theme of “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” she highlighted the progress made by many developing countries in improving well-being but noted their current challenges, including the lingering effects of COVID-19, escalating debt, inflation pressures, and climate-related extremes.
In addressing these overlapping challenges, Secretary-General Scotland stressed the importance of increased cooperation and solidarity, emphasizing the essential role of the Non-Aligned Movement’s voice and positioning the Commonwealth as a trusted partner in achieving a peaceful, just, and sustainable future.
“To tackle these overlapping challenges, we need more cooperation and solidarity than ever before. The voice of the Non-Aligned Movement is essential, and the Commonwealth stands as a trusted partner in achieving our shared vision for a peaceful, just and sustainable future for all,” She explained.
During her engagements, Secretary-General Scotland will advocate for urgent reforms in the global financial system to meet the needs of developing countries and she will also introduce the Commonwealth’s Universal Vulnerability Index as a tool to better target international finance, encompassing overseas aid and debt relief for countries in need of support.
Furthermore, discussions will encompass progress made at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) and the Commonwealth’s assistance in translating climate commitments into action.
Secretary-General Scotland will highlight initiatives such as the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, which has mobilized US $322 million for 17 vulnerable countries, with an additional US $500 million in the pipeline.
Additionally, she will underscore the Commonwealth’s coordinated response to ocean challenges through the Commonwealth Blue Charter, address land degradation issues via the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter, and promote a just energy transition through the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda.
While in Kampala, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland is expected to engage with government ministers, senior officials, and public figures to explore avenues for deepening ongoing cooperation.