NON-ALIGNED

MOVEMENT
History of NAM

⊳ The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was created and founded during the collapse of
the colonial system and the independence struggles of the peoples of Africa, Asia,
Latin America and other regions of the world and at the height of the Cold War.
⊳ During the early days of the Movement, its actions were a key factor in the
decolonization process, which led later to the attainment of freedom and
independence by many countries and peoples and to the founding of tens of new
sovereign States.
⊳ Throughout its history, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries has played a
fundamental role in the preservation of world peace and security.
History of NAM

⊳ While some meetings with a third-world perspective were held before 1955,
historians consider that the Bandung Asian-African Conference is the most
immediate antecedent to the creation of the Non-Aligned Movement.
⊳ This Conference was held in Bandung on April 18-24, 1955 and gathered 29 Heads
of States belonging to the first post-colonial generation of leaders from the two
continents with the aim of identifying and assessing world issues at the time and
pursuing out joint policies in international relations.
⊳ The principles that would govern relations among large and small nations, known as
the "Ten Principles of Bandung", were proclaimed at that Conference.
History of NAM

⊳ Such principles were adopted later as the main goals and objectives of the policy of
non-alignment.
⊳ The fulfillment of those principles became the essential criterion for Non-Aligned
Movement membership; it is what was known as the "quintessence of the Movement"
until the early 1990s.
⊳ In 1960, in the light of the results achieved in Bandung, the creation of the
Movement of Non-Aligned Countries was given a decisive boost during the Fifteenth
Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, during which 17 new
African and Asian countries were admitted.
History of NAM

⊳ A key role was played in this process by the then Heads of State and Government:
▸ Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt
▸ Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana
▸ Shri Jawaharlal Nehru of India
▸ Ahmed Sukarno of Indonesia
▸ Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia
⊳ They later became the founding fathers of the movement and its emblematic leaders.
History of NAM

⊳ Six years after Bandung, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries was founded on a wider
geographical basis at the First Summit Conference of Belgrade, which was held on
September 1-6, 1961.
⊳ The Conference was attended by 25 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Yemen, Myanmar,
Cambodia, Srilanka, Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia,
Iraq, Lebanon, Mali, Morocco, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia,
Yugoslavia.
⊳ The Founders of NAM have preferred to declare it as a movement but not an organization in
order to avoid bureaucratic implications of the latter.
⊳ The membership criteria formulated during the Preparatory Conference to the Belgrade
Summit (Cairo, 1961) show that the Movement was not conceived to play a passive role in
international politics but to formulate its own positions in an independent manner so as to
reflect the interests of its members.
History of NAM

⊳ Thus, the primary of objectives of the non-aligned countries focused on the support
of
▸ self-determination
▸ national independence and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States
▸ opposition to apartheid
▸ non-adherence to multilateral military pacts and the independence of non-
aligned countries from great power or block influences and rivalries
▸ the struggle against imperialism in all its forms and manifestations
▸ the struggle against colonialism, neocolonialism, racism, foreign occupation
and domination
▸ Disarmament
History of NAM

⊳ Thus, the primary of objectives of the non-aligned countries focused on the support
of
▸ non-interference into the internal affairs of States and peaceful coexistence
among all nations
▸ rejection of the use or threat of use of force in international relations
▸ the strengthening of the United Nations
▸ the democratization of international relations
▸ socioeconomic development and the restructuring of the international economic
system
▸ as well as international cooperation on an equal footing
History of NAM

⊳ During its nearly 50 years of existence, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries has
gathered a growing number of States and liberation movements which, in spite of
their ideological, political, economic, social and cultural diversity, have accepted its
founding principles and primary objectives and shown their readiness to realize them.
⊳ Historically, the non-aligned countries have shown their ability to overcome their
differences and found a common ground for action that leads to mutual cooperation
and the upholding of their shared values.
The “Ten Principles of Bandung”

⊳ Respect of fundamental human rights and of the objectives and principles of the
Charter of the United Nations.
⊳ Respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
⊳ Recognition of the equality among all races and of the equality among all nations,
both large and small.
⊳ Non-intervention or non-interference into the internal affairs of another -country.
⊳ Respect of the right of every nation to defend itself, either individually or
collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations.
The “Ten Principles of Bandung”

⊳ A. Non-use of collective defense pacts to benefit the specific interests of any of the
great powers
B. Non-use of pressures by any country against other countries.
⊳ Refraining from carrying out or threatening to carry out aggression, or from using
force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country.
⊳ Peaceful solution of all international conflicts in conformity with the Charter of the
United Nations.
⊳ Promotion of mutual interests and of cooperation.
⊳ Respect of justice and of international obligations.
India’s Position in NAM

⊳ India being a founder and largest member in NAM was an active participant in NAM
meetings till 1970s but India’s inclination towards erstwhile USSR created
confusions in smaller members. It led to the weakening of NAM and small nations
drifted towards either US or USSR.
⊳ Further disintegration of USSR led the unipolar world order dominated by US.
India’s New Economic Policy and inclination towards US raised questions over
India’s seriousness over non alignment.
⊳ Prime Minister of India skipped the 17th Non Aligned Movement (NAM) summit
held in Venezuela in 2016, it was only second such instance when Head of a state
didn’t participate in NAM conference.
India’s Position in NAM

⊳ Moreover, NAM continued losing relevance for India in a unipolar world, especially
after the founding members failed to support India during crisis. For instance, during
1962 War with China, Ghana and Indonesia, adopted explicitly pro-China positions.
During 1965 and 1971 wars, Indonesia and Egypt took an anti India stance and
supported Pakistan.
⊳ India in particular, but also most other NAM countries, have integrated themselves to
varying degrees within the liberal economic order and have benefited from it.
⊳ India is a member of the G20 and has declared itself as a nuclear weapons power
and has for all practical purposes abandoned the call for global nuclear disarmament.
India’s Position in NAM

⊳ India has also engaged itself with new and old global powers. India joining the
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a coalition seen by many as a counterforce to
China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific and Shanghai cooperation organisation led by
China shown India’s balancing approach in new world order.
⊳ The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as the Quad, is a strategic security
dialogue between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that is maintained by talks
between member countries.
⊳ The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization
founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises eight Member States
(China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four
Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and
Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka
and Turkey).
⊳ Since its inception in 2001, the SCO has mainly focused on regional security issues, its fight
against regional terrorism, ethnic separatism and religious extremism. To date, the SCO’s
priorities also include regional development.
Emerging Global Order

NAM has to adopt and change itself to suit the newly emerging challenges and geopolitics
such as:
⊳ World has again moved towards bi-polarity, one led by US and other by China-
Russia. The war torn Syria is prime example of this, where both US and Russia is
asserting power.
⊳ The escalating tension in Indo-pacific region due to China’s assertion and US acting
as a counterweight to check the Chinese expansionist policy.
⊳ The large scale migration in Europe and Asia due to the unstable regimes and
ethnic conflict in different parts of world.
Emerging Global Order

⊳ Issue of global climate change and occurrences of catastrophic disasters raising

demand to form global consensus to deal with it.
⊳ Changing US policies, protectionism, prevalent terrorism and nuclearisation of
middle east.
⊳ Formation of multiple regional economic groupings like TPP and RCEP and
fading away of multilateral bodies WTO from global arena.
The Way Forward

⊳ NAM as a concept can never be irrelevant, principally it provides a strong base to

foreign policy of its members.
⊳ It should be seen as “Strategic Autonomy”, which is the need of the hour of today’s
world. The principles of NAM still can guide the nations towards it.
⊳ NAM is a platform where India can assert its soft power and provide an active
leadership and by being a torchbearer for smaller countries at multilateral platforms.
⊳ The conference of Heads of the State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries,
often referred to as Non-Aligned Movement Summit. The 18th Summit was held in
Azerbaijan in June 2019 and will hold the Presidency for 3 years till 2022. These
summits should be used for consensus making on spectrum of global issues.
The Way Forward

⊳ It should be used as a platform to raise global issues like terrorism, climate change
and trade protectionism and others.
⊳ NAM platform can be used to garner support by South-East Asian countries like
Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines against Chinese assertion in South
China Sea and related island and border disputes.
⊳ NAM can provide a platform for Afro-Asian cooperation and a strong position for
poor African nation to have healthy negotiations with China and US for economic
development without compromising the sovereignty of their land.
 “
⊳SOUTH-SOUTH
COOPERATION
Introduction

⊳ The countries of the world are classified on the basis of development. Thus, we have
developed and rich countries, developing countries and finally Least Developed
Countries.
⊳ If we carefully observe, the developing and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are
located in the Southern Hemisphere of the globe, whereas developed countries are
located in the Northern Hemisphere.
⊳ Due to this geographical fact, scholars have termed developed countries as ‘North’
and developing countries and LDCs as `South’.
Introduction

⊳ Therefore, when the countries of the South or developing countries cooperate in

various fields, it is known as South-South Cooperation or Dialogue.
⊳ Thus, the term South-South Cooperation means the process of cooperation among the
developing countries in the economic field and other areas.
⊳ At present, South-South Cooperation is promoted as a viable strategy by developing
countries for their development and progress.
⊳ Conversely, when the cooperation and dialogue between the developed North and
developing South takes place, it is known as North-South Dialogue.
Introduction

⊳ The South-South Cooperation has been adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement as

the basic principle of its economic approach to achieve the dream of collective self-
reliance among developing countries.
⊳ Though the term South-South Cooperation emerged in the 1970s, the idea has been
on the agenda of NAM for a long time. It is also a basic approach of India’s
economic diplomacy towards, developing countries and LDCs.
Guiding Principles of South-South Dialogue

⊳ South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and

countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and
collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development
goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
⊳ The South-South cooperation agenda and South-South cooperation initiatives must
be determined by the countries of the South, guided by the principles of respect for
national sovereignty, national ownership and independence, equality, non-
conditionality, non-interference in domestic affairs and mutual benefit.
Guiding Principles of South-South Dialogue

⊳ foster the self-reliance of developing countries by enhancing their creative capacity

to find solutions to their development problems in keeping with their own
aspirations, values and specific needs;
⊳ promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among developing countries through
the exchange of experiences; the pooling, sharing and use of their technical and
other resources; and the development of their complementary capacities;
⊳ strengthen the capacity of developing countries to identify and analyse together their
main development issues and formulate the requisite strategies to address them;
Guiding Principles of South-South Dialogue

⊳ increase the quantity and enhance the quality of international development

cooperation through the pooling of capacities to improve the effectiveness of the
resources devoted to such cooperation;
⊳ create and strengthen existing technological capacities in the developing countries
in order to improve the effectiveness with which such capacities are used and to
improve the capacity of developing countries to absorb and adapt technology and
skills to meet their specific developmental needs;
⊳ increase and improve communications among developing countries, leading to a
greater awareness of common problems and wider access to available knowledge and
experience as well as the creation of new knowledge in tackling development
problems;
Guiding Principles of South-South Dialogue

⊳ recognize and respond to the problems and requirements of the least developed
countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and the
countries most seriously affected by, for example, natural disasters and other crises;
and
⊳ enable developing countries to achieve a greater degree of participation in
international economic activities and to expand international cooperation for
development.
Objectives of South-South Dialogue

⊳ foster the self-reliance of developing countries by enhancing their creative capacity to

find solutions to their development problems in keeping with their own aspirations,
values and specif needs;
⊳ promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among developing countries through
the exchange of experiences; the pooling, sharing and use of their technical and other
resources; and the development of their complementary capacities;
⊳ strengthen the capacity of developing countries to identify and analyse together their
main development issues and formulate the requisite strategies to address them;
Objectives of South-South Dialogue

⊳ increase the quantity and enhance the quality of international development

cooperation through the pooling of capacities to improve the effectiveness of the
resources devoted to such cooperation;
⊳ create and strengthen existing technological capacities in the developing countries in
order to improve the effectiveness with which such capacities are used and to
improve the capacity of developing countries to absorb and adapt technology and
skills to meet their specific developmental needs;
⊳ increase and improve communications among developing countries, leading to a
greater awareness of common problems and wider access to available knowledge and
experience as well as the creation of new knowledge in tackling development
problems;
Objectives of South-South Dialogue

⊳ recognize and respond to the problems and requirements of the least developed
countries, landlocked developing countries, small island developing States and the
countries most seriously affected by, for example, natural disasters and other crises;
and
⊳ enable developing countries to achieve a greater degree of participation in
international economic activities and to expand international cooperation for
development.
 “
⊳NORTH-SOUTH
COOPERATION
Introduction

⊳ The North-South Dialogue refers to the process through which the developing and
newly independent nations of the "third world," predominantly in Asia, Africa, and
Latin America, engaged the industrialized countries of North America and Western
Europe in negotiations over changes to the international economic system during
the 1970s.
⊳ After World War II, many nations of Latin America became increasingly frustrated
with U.S. trade and tariff policies. At the same time, nationalist movements in Asia
and Africa helped lead to widespread decolonization.
⊳ Membership in the United Nations had risen from 51 countries in 1945 to 100 in
1960 and 150 by 1979.
Introduction

⊳ The sudden influx of new countries changed the balance of power in the General
Assembly and made possible the establishment of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development, or UNCTAD, in 1964.
⊳ UNCTAD created a forum through which the "southern" or "third world" nations
could propose economic policies, engaging industrial democracies of the "north."
⊳ The term "North-South Dialogue" was used to distinguish this dynamic from the
East-West conflict of the Cold War, and to stress the point that development issues
were just as pressing as the ideological conflict between communists and capitalists.
Introduction

⊳ Several factors increased the willingness of the industrialized nations to negotiate.

⊳ One was the rising power of oil-producing countries in the Arab world, and another
was the U.S. loss in the war in Vietnam, which demonstrated to both the world and
the industrialized North that not even wealth and power were enough to guarantee
military victory.
⊳ Both of these issues drew Western attention toward the global balance of
economic power.
Introduction

⊳ Additionally, the dialogue began in a period of relaxed East-West tensions, which

meant that the industrialized world could give more attention to issues like
development.
⊳ The Newly Industrializing Economies, meanwhile, believed the entrenched
international economic system benefited developed countries at the expense of the
developing world.
⊳ They hoped to facilitate a reorganization of the international economic system to
rectify this imbalance.
Introduction

⊳ The North-South Dialogue addressed issues pertaining to trade and tariffs,

international finance, foreign aid, and the governance of multinational companies
and institutions.
⊳ During the era of detente in the 1970s, when East-West tensions were more relaxed,
there was a willingness among industrialized nations to cooperate.
⊳ Even as detente began to falter in the mid-1970s, the parties to the North-South
Dialogue continued their discussions.
⊳ U.S. policies and relations with the other Northern powers inevitably served to help
or hinder progress in the dialogue.
Introduction

⊳ Late in the 1970s, the increasing conflicts between the United States and the Soviet
Union finally served to sour the prospects for continuing North-South discussions, as
the industrialized nations renewed their focus and redirected their resources to the
Cold War and paid less attention to development issues.
⊳ By September of 1980, the discussions in the United Nations that had characterized
this dialogue had lost their momentum. Although some dialogue on these issues
continued, it remained a series of discussions on economic issues and never
presented the workable solution that its proponents had hoped it would.
Introduction

⊳ There are many ways to interpret the high point of the North-South Dialogue in the
1970s.
⊳ Some economists have reviewed the southern proposals for broad changes in world
economic policy and concluded that they were either fundamentally unworkable or
designed to benefit only certain segments of the Third World; others counter that the
proposals were necessarily extreme in order to establish a firm position from which
to open negotiations with the industrialized North.
Introduction

⊳ Either way, the exact implementation of the proposals presented through UNCTAD
was always unlikely, because they centered on the Southern ideal and would have
required the economically-powerful North to concede every point.
⊳ The North-South Dialogue can also be viewed as a political struggle between the
world's "haves" and "have-nots.“
⊳ In this view, the discussions became a vehicle through which the South could unite
and assert power within the United Nations and other international organizations to
counter the ability of the North to dictate the course of world affairs.