KAMPALA, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on Monday began a meeting in Kampala ahead of a foreign ministers' conference to address challenges facing the movement amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Ugandan Foreign Minister Jeje Odongo, who opened the NAM Midterm Ministerial Review Meeting held under the theme "Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence," called for collective effort and renewed commitment among member states.

"It is only through unity, solidarity and a common purpose that we can project a clear, strong, and coordinated voice on the issues that affect our nations in today's increasingly complex and volatile global environment," Odongo said. "This environment continues to hinder our aspirations for economic development, social progress, peace, and the full enjoyment of human rights and the rule of law."

Odongo urged NAM members to uphold the movement's long-standing position on the question of Palestine and to strengthen South-South cooperation to overcome persistent barriers to fair global markets.

The officials' meeting precedes the foreign ministers' conference scheduled for Wednesday, which will review progress on the implementation of outcomes from the 19th summit held in Kampala in January last year.

The Non-Aligned Movement, comprising 121 member states, is guided by the Bandung Principles, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, equality among nations, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. ■