President Museveni has officially assumed chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement for the next three years until 2027.
The Ugandan president was received the baton by Azerbaijan during the 19th summit of the heads of state and government of the Non-Aligned Movement at the Speke Convention Centre in Munyonyo.
In his remarks, Museveni said NAM was the necessary antidote to the world polarization by the western powers.
“As bullies, the Europeans used their progress in the technology of ship-building and the use of gun-powder, to conquer Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. European looting of the rest of humanity through slavery, imperialism, colonialism, semi-colonialism, conquest and extermination of the indigenous people in some cases, went on for 500 years,” he said.
According to the president, instead of humanity celebrating the scientific advances in ship-building, the wider use of gun-powder, the wider use of quinine against malaria, the printing Press, the steam engine and all the other inventions, the world had to spend the 500 years in anti-colonials wars to expel the “evil parasites.”
“In the case of Africa, it is only in 1994, that the indigenous people of South Africa, regained control of their country. The oppressors, miscalculate when they use their temporary advantage in science and technology to think that they can use that to indefinitely oppress other people. The oppressed, will learn, catch up and defeat the oppressor. That is why Empires always, all collapse. The idea of Empires, is an evil idea”
“We are flabbergasted and look down with contempt, at the philosophical, ideological and strategic shallowness of some of the actors in the World. Why not respect the freedom of everybody, if you say you are a democrat? Why do you not seek to influence people by your good example, instead of manipulation, lectures and threats?”
He said the Non-Aligned Movement, was correct against the capitalists and communists.
“Our stand is that the world should concentrate on the common human problems ─ prosperity through trade, the advance of science and technology to deal with human problems, the environment, crime and terrorism. The future is bright if we act right.”
