NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT (NAM)

NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT

• NAM was created during the independence struggles of Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions of the world at the height of the Cold War.

Origin

• Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955.
• A key role was played in this process by the then Heads of State of Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia and Yugoslavia, who later became the founding fathers of the movement.
• The idea was to declare themselves as "nonaligned" from either of the two nascent military blocks (NATO and the Warsaw Pact).

Membership

• It has 121 members (including India) comprising 53 countries from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean and 2 from Europe.
• 18 countries and 10 international organizations are observers at NAM.

Other information

• The policy of NAM was based on the 5 principles of Panchsheel (principles for the conduct of international relations, signed between India and China in 1954).
• The NAM does not have a formal founding charter or treaty, nor does it have a permanent secretariat.

Key principles of NAM

• Respect for UN Charter and international law.
• Sovereignty, equality, and territorial integrity of all states.
• Peaceful resolution of international conflicts per UN Charter.
• Respect for self-defense rights under UN Charter.
• Non-interference in internal affairs of states.
• Promotion of multilateralism and cooperation through dialogue.

Challenges faced by NAM

• The change in the world order from a bipolar one to a more complex and multipolar global order.
• Development of alliances as multilateral partnerships like QUAD, I2U2, etc.
• Many NAM members support the ideas of socialism and state control; And are dependent on America.
• Regional organizations such as ASEAN, SCO, and BRICS address specific regional challenges more effectively.
• Emerging global issues such as climate change, cybersecurity and pandemics. 

Relevance of NAM in Present time

• UN Reform and Democratization: NAM advocates accelerating reform of the UN Security Council to make it a more democratic, transparent and representative organ of the UN.
• Defense of Sovereignty: NAM countries support the principles of self-determination, respect for territorial integrity, non-aggression, and protection of the independence and autonomy of member states.
• An integral part of foreign policy: Many developing countries like India still follow the NAM policy, because the 'freedom of action' in foreign policy is enshrined in NAM.
• Integration Forces: NAM is still in force as a strict measure to prevent colonization and imperialism of small and developing countries.
• Forum for South-South Cooperation: It provides a platform for developing countries to come together and discuss common challenges and interests and exert influence in global affairs.