Serbia to host Non-Aligned Movement Summit; Belgrade takes center stage in world politics

High-ranking officials will gather in the Serbian capital, including presidents, prime ministers, parliamentary speakers and ministers from more than 30 countries across four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

The Non-Aligned Movement Summit comes at a time when Belgrade is also preparing for EXPO 2027, the largest international event Serbia will host in its modern history. In this way, 2026 and 2027 further highlight Belgrade’s role as a meeting place for countries, cultures and different parts of the world.

The gathering also carries special symbolism because its main part will be held on September 1, exactly 65 years after the First Belgrade Conference opened in 1961. Since 2025, that date has been observed in Serbia as Non-Aligned Day, preserving Belgrade’s historic role while reaffirming it in the contemporary international context.

The 65th-anniversary gathering is therefore not solely about commemorating a major event in 20th-century history and the generation of leaders who gathered in Belgrade in 1961. One of its important goals is also to highlight, in today’s circumstances, the significance of the principles underpinning the Non-Aligned policy — equality among states, respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, the peaceful settlement of disputes, international cooperation, and the right of every state to independently determine its own policies.

Who Vučić is bringing together in Belgrade

As wars, crises and upheavals not seen in decades rage around the world, Belgrade will once again become one of the most important stages of global diplomacy on the last day of August and the first day of September. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will host presidents, prime ministers, parliamentary speakers, a large number of ministers and special envoys from more than 30 countries.

Among the highest-ranking guests will be Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, one of the best-known political figures in West Africa.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is also coming to Serbia. He is one of the central political figures in the Horn of Africa and has been elected president of his country twice.

The arrival of Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo gives the gathering particular political weight. She is coming to Belgrade as an envoy of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the current chair of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Representing the President of Tanzania, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, will come to Belgrade.

Another special guest will be Khalida Boufedes, a woman who made history just a month ago. On July 28, she became the first woman in Algeria’s history to be elected president of the People’s National Assembly, and she is coming to Belgrade immediately afterward.

Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova is also returning to Belgrade. Azerbaijan is currently one of Serbia’s most important energy partners.

Cameroonian Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute is also coming to the Serbian capital.

Mozambican Prime Minister Maria Benvinda Levi will also arrive in Belgrade. Mozambique has more than 35 million inhabitants and around 2,700 kilometers of coastline along the Indian Ocean.

The list of guests does not end there. The gathering will also be attended by the deputy prime ministers of Cambodia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Deputy Chairman of the Senate of Uzbekistan, as well as numerous ministers, special envoys and high-level delegations.

Among them will be the foreign ministers of Angola, Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Sudan, while delegations led by presidents and prime ministers will also include the foreign ministers of Ghana, Somalia, Tanzania and Cameroon. India, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lebanon, and São Tomé and Príncipe are also sending ministerial delegations. A special envoy of the President of Cuba will arrive in Belgrade, along with high-level delegations from Indonesia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Nepal, Ethiopia and other countries.

Belgrade prepares to welcome the guests

In addition to the official program, Belgrade will offer guests an opportunity to experience the city through its history, culture, traditions and modern development. During their stay, foreign guests will be able to see Belgrade as a city with a rich history, but also as a capital undergoing rapid transformation and preparing for EXPO 2027.

The Palace of Serbia will have a particularly prominent role in the program, as the main part of the gathering will be held there on September 1.

Various accompanying programs have been arranged for the delegations, depending on their schedules, protocol obligations and bilateral meetings. These include a panoramic tour of the city, a visit to Belgrade Waterfront and the EXPO Playground, where they will be able to see how Serbia is preparing for the EXPO 2027 Specialised Exhibition.