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Belarus speaks on Non-Aligned Movement platform in favor of stepping up economic interaction
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MINSK, 15 October (BelTA) – Belarus has spoken within the framework of the Non-Aligned Movement in favor of stepping up economic interaction. Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxim Ryzhenkov drew attention to the importance of developing this dimension in a speech during the 19th ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Uganda, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Maxim Ryzhenkov said: “We have gathered today to discuss how to deepen our cooperation for the wellbeing of the NAM countries, as the topic of the ministerial meeting calls for. It is both relevant and urgent. We all bear in mind that our countries have joined the Movement to promote peace, development and justice in the world. For nearly 65 years we consistently have been promoting multilateralism and solidarity on the basis of mutual respect and equality. As a result, we have managed to grow into a significant force - a power center that others have to reckon with today. In this regard our strong concerted voice is increasingly important in today’s unstable world.”
The Belarusian minister of foreign affairs said he believes that this disorder had resulted from disregard by individual alliances for the norms and principles of the United Nations Charter that underpin international law and which NAM countries have always adhered to. He believes: “It’s a paradox. Because the countries from such alliances, which mostly belonged to former colonial powers, were supposed to stick to their commitments to fully comply with the international obligations. But they haven’t even tried to do that. Moreover, it is they that have extracted colossal profits from colonialism by plundering other nations economically and culturally. Why do you have to go to Western museums in order to see the genuine cultural heritage of former colonies?”
“This is why Belarus welcomes steps by many African countries to claim reparations from the West for the colonial oppression. We have openly voiced it at the high-level general debate of the current session of the UN General Assembly. We support this initiative as an indispensable part of the decolonization process. It is particularly important now when former colonial powers continue using neocolonial methods in politics, economy, humanitarian, cultural and other spheres in a bid to restore their dominance in the world,” the Belarusian minister of foreign affairs continued.
He stressed that in politics neocolonialism is manifested in military interventions, interference in domestic affairs, in the organization of color revolutions and unconstitutional change of governments. In economy it is manifested in the use of unilateral coercive measures, trade and financial blockades, unjustified tariffs against the NAM countries.
“I will not list the countries that are under the greatest pressure. My friend, the minister of foreign affairs of Venezuela listed them in his speech. But we are all under threat,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stressed. “All these methods are geared towards restraining the sustainable development of our countries. In culture neocolonialism is most often associated with the ‘brain drain’ - an outflow of our talent and skills to the West where they fall victim to the policies of false multiculturalism, which brings about violence and degradation in reality. On the contrary, the Non-Aligned Movement is built, among other things, on the recognition of cultural diversity of its members. In this regard we are united.”
The official went on saying: “What is also alarming is that nowadays neocolonialism is increasingly gaining traction in specific emerging topics, which are high on the UN agenda, like artificial intelligence, climate change where the former colonial powers seek to impose their egoistic politicized agenda.”
“What should be our best collective response to these challenges?” the Belarusian minister of foreign affairs wondered. “First of all, we should more vigorously promote our own economic interaction. The Non-Aligned Movement was initially conceived as a political entity but now is the time to draw attention to the economic agenda. Solid mutually beneficial trade ties will make the Non-Aligned Movement stronger politically and will make it less dependent on the West. We are capable of accomplishing that because together we have everything we need: natural, financial and human resources, technologies, and markets.”
“For instance, Belarus has retained and has developed its technological potential after the collapse of the Soviet Union and is ready to share its advances in manufacturing sector, agriculture, civil engineering, and IT sector. This is why Non-Aligned Movement countries should significantly deepen cooperation in trade and economy and galvanize our political will to this end,” Maxim Ryzhenkov stressed. “The Non-Aligned countries should more actively use the potential of new influential regional associations such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, ASEAN, the African Union, Mercosur, and other ones. We should vigorously work to strengthen them and forge partnerships among them.”
He pointed out that the Non-Aligned Movement is part of a broader phenomenon in international relations called the Global Majority. Its goal is not to oppose anyone but to unite everyone for the sake of building a fair multipolar world order.
“Western alliances have to understand that cooperation with the Global Majority and with the Non-Aligned Movement in particular is not a matter of choice but a vital need if they want to avoid self-isolation. All of us will benefit if we learn to work together in the spirit of justice, respect for international law as well as political, economic, social and cultural diversity of countries and peoples as envisaged in the UN Charter,” the minister said.
“Only together through cooperation and mutual understanding will we be able to build a new fair and peaceful world,” Maxim Ryzhenkov concluded.
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