SL calls on NAM to focus on socioeconomic development

Sri Lanka, a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has called on member countries to give high priority to alleviating poverty and ensuring food security among others.

Representing Sri Lanka at the 17th Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Non- Aligned Movement in Margarita Island in Venezuela, special envoy of the President, Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Mahinda Samarasinghe, said the movement must focus on the socioeconomic development of member countries.

“As we move toward the 2030 Agenda, we must give high priority to the alleviation of poverty, the importance of food security, health and nutrition, education, water and sanitation, energy and infrastructure and greater access for women,” Minister Samarasinghe said in his speech at the interactive Debate on ‘Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development’ on Thursday.

He said Sri Lanka as one of the co-sponsors of the Bandung Conference of 1955 and a founder member of the movement had remained committed to the principles and purposes of NAM.

He pointed out that the movement continued to grow in strength and now embraces over 120 nation states, representing two-thirds of the members of the United Nations or over half of humanity.

The Sri Lankan Minister noted that nations were confronted with a number of challenges ranging from terrorism and religious extremism, social upheaval, conflicts, the plight of refugees, mass migration, social inequity and the erosion of human rights to the scarcity of resources, vulnerabilities in the global economy and environmental challenges from climate change, that pose a risk to socioeconomic development.

He said actions should be taken to achieve better standards of living, healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for people while pointing out that Sri Lanka has been fortunate to have met a number of the development goal targets despite the present world economic climate.

Highlighting a few specific areas of importance that the movement must focus on, Minister Samarasinghe said South-South Cooperation must be strengthened and the movement must increase and strengthen collaboration, cooperation programs and exchanges between members to promote meaningful development programs and opportunities.

He urged both NAM and the international community to act now in order to achieve Goal 15 of the Sustainable Development Agenda to control climate change, protect biodiversity and reduce disaster risk.

The Minister said NAM must also work for the advancement of women in collaboration with UN agencies such as UN Women to ensure women’s empowerment especially in the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda and also in the areas of the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls while ensuring their peace and security.