Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has called on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to allow free mobility of capital, technology and labour within its member countries to ensure socio-economic prosperity. 

The Foreign Minister said it is imperative for the members to put less restrictions on the mobility of resources to help boost economic growth, reduce poverty and a more equitable distribution of income to achieve the major goals of SDGs (sustainable development goals).

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Dr Momen was addressing the 60th anniversary event of NAM in Belgrade.  

Referring to the life-long struggle of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for ensuring equality, humanity and justice, Dr Momen reiterated the strong conviction of Bangladesh to the founding principles of NAM. 

"Our peace-centric foreign policy echoes the very spirit of the Non-Aligned Movement,” the Foreign Minister said.

Stressing the relevance of NAM, he highlighted the emerging challenges such as climate change, terrorism and, violence that warrant collective action by the NAM members.  

The basic rights of human beings are still unmet in many parts of the world, the Foreign Minister said, as he highlighted the long persecution of the Rohingya refugees in Myanmar "which call for our urgent action".

The Foreign Minister expressed dismay at the global inequalities in access to Covid-19 vaccines.

“Our remarkable progress in vaccine development failed to contain the deadly virus due to vaccine nationalism and vaccine politicisation,” he said.

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Dr Momen urged the global community to address the vaccine gap immediately by treating Covid shots as a global public good. 

He called upon the NAM countries to work together towards post-pandemic sustainable recovery and proposed to strengthen South-South and triangular cooperation, including through establishment of a forum of Ministers of Foreign, Finance and Development of the Global South. 

“The forum will provide a platform to explore potentials of the southern countries and share experience, expertise, technology and resources to promote sustainable development,” Dr Momen said.

The Foreign Minister is leading a Bangladesh delegation to the 60th Anniversary event of NAM being held in Belgrade from 11-12 October.

President of Ghana, Prime Minister of Algeria, and foreign and other ministers of different NAM member countries, including Indonesia, Nepal, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Gabon, Gambia, Sudan, Haiti, Angola, and Palestine, and high-level representatives of over 70 countries are attending the meeting. 

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The meeting is being co-chaired by the President of Azerbaijan and the President of Serbia. The UN Secretary-General and the President of the 76th session of the UNGA also spoke at the occasion.