19th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement

19th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement

GS- II: International Relations

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for Prelims

19th NAM Summit, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Voice of the Global South Summit.

Important for Mains

Establishment of Non-Aligned Movement, objectives, relevance, challenges and its importance for India, way forward.

Jan. 23, 2024

Why in news:

According to the recent statement of the Ministry of External Affairs, India will be led by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the 19th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Related key facts:

  • NAM Summit: The 19th NAM Summit is being held in Kampala, Uganda from 17 to 20 January.
  • Before this, there will be a meeting of foreign ministers on January 15. The External Affairs Minister is also expected to participate in several bilateral meetings.
  • Host of NAM: Uganda will hold the Chair of the NAM Group during the years 2024-2027.
    • In January 2024, Uganda will host two important events, including the NAM Summit and the 3rd South Summit hosted by the G77 and China.
  • It is noteworthy that the 18th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan in October 2019.
  • The theme of the 18th NAM Summit was “Adherence to the Bandung Principles to ensure concrete and adequate responses to the challenges of the contemporary world”.

About Non-Aligned Movement:

  • NAM was formed as an organization of states during the Cold War.
  • These were states that did not want to formally associate themselves with the United States or the Soviet Union, but wanted to remain independent or neutral.
  • The basic concept of this group originated during the discussions held at the Asia-Africa Bandung Conference held in Indonesia in 1955.
  • The first summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in September 1961.
  • Member countries: The NAM group includes 53 countries in Africa, 40 countries in Asia, 26 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and one country in Europe (Belarus).
  • Observers: There are 18 countries and 10 international organizations who are observers of NAM.
  • Nearly two-thirds of UN members are represented in the Non-Aligned Movement, and they account for 55% of the world's population.

Objectives of Non-Aligned Movement:

  • Abandoning Cold War politics and pursuing independent international politics
  • Maintaining adequate distance from military alliances
  • Opposing imperialism and colonialism
  • Starting the struggle against the policy of apartheid and making every possible effort to protect human rights.

India and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM):

  • India is one of the founding members of NAM and hosted the 7th NAM Summit in New Delhi in the year 1983.
  • Importance of NAM for India: The NAM group has provided India an eminent position and strong leadership in international forums and affairs.
  • India can leverage initiatives like NAM to emerge as a leader of the Global South.
  • India's presidency of the G-20 in 2023 has put the concerns of the Global South at the forefront of the agenda of G-20 leaders.
  • For example, the Voice of the Global South Summit hosted by India has seen participation from about 130 countries.

Relevance/importance of NAM at present:

This may be helpful in the following areas:

  • Restructuring and democratizing international organizations like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
  • To promote cooperation in the areas of food cooperation, population, trade and investment.
  • To ensure equitable international flow of trade and technology transfer.
  • To oppose interference and imposition of economic conditions in developing countries.
  • Amid a significant change in the geopolitical landscape (post Cold War), the focus of the Movement is shifting towards promoting South-South cooperation.
  • Common problems faced by the Global South such as external debt and poverty have been identified as priority areas.
  • NAM can play an important role in ensuring access to food, finance, fuel and fertilizers to the developing world with certainty, transparency and equity.
  • Coordinated, inclusive and equitable global response to global crises: NAM can promote international solidarity in the fight against global crises.
  • The Indian Prime Minister participated in the online NAM Summit themed “United Against COVID-19”, which addressed the crisis of the pandemic. The aim of the summit was to promote global solidarity in fighting COVID-19 and to motivate states and international organizations to collectively tackle the pandemic.
  • NAM serves as a forum to negotiate and peacefully resolve disputes on various subjects between developed and developing countries. This ensures that a fair decision is taken in each participant's case.
  • An important benefit of the NAM Summit is that it provides an opportunity for the leaders of the movement to meet and discuss with each other on issues of bilateral, regional and international concern.

Challenges faced by NAM Group:

  • Loss of relevance for India: India's core national interest is to become one of the central pillars of global politics, hence NAM is no longer that relevant today.
  • For example, the External Affairs Minister of India recently said that NAM is an idea born at a particular time and he believes that India should move beyond NAM to respond efficiently to contemporary changes, while adhering to the concept of freedom of action.
  • India was represented at the Vice President level in the Non-Aligned Summit held in Azerbaijan in 2019 and Venezuela in 2016. This was the second consecutive time that the Indian Prime Minister was absent from the summit.
  • The main objective of NAM was to keep the newly independent Third World countries away from unnecessary issues that could trouble them if they joined any of the blocs. Since the Cold War has ended, the purpose of NAM no longer exists, which is why NAM should also cease to exist.
  • Apart from this, the most important part of the agenda of NAM was to emphasize on decolonization of all the colonized countries, which has now been achieved.
  • NAM has sometimes been criticized for deviating from its original purpose and for misusing it as a tool by member states to pursue their personal agendas.
  • For example, the Azerbaijani president pushed Pakistan's agenda as chair of the NAM and China has also been seen trying to push its agenda as an observer to the grouping.
  • Currently, the second largest international organization of nations after the United Nations is largely ineffective. Since NAM is in no position to function even as a platform to demonstrate solidarity.
  • The NAM group has no written charter and has no strict rules so it has no global influence.

Way forward:

  • The NAM group can play an important role in tackling the growing inequalities between North and South, rich and poor and capitalists and working classes as it provides a platform for developing countries to collectively address economic inequalities.
  • To remain consistently relevant and influential in global politics, NAM has broadened the scope of the group to include various global issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, health concerns such as AIDS, drug trafficking, rising poverty, food crises and unemployment.
  • Its Member States should continue to live and work together for common vision and action to address NAM-related challenges.

Source: The Hindu

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Mains Question:

Throwing light on the policies of the Non-Aligned Movement, consider the challenges and relevance related to it at present.