NON ALIGNED

MOVEMENT
Introduction
• Non- Alignment Movement is an independent association of developing countries from all continents of the
world.
• It is a group of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
• The founding fathers of the Non Aligned movement were Josip Broz Tito of Socialist Ygoslavia,
Jawaharlal Nehru of Inda, Sukarno of Indonesia, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Kwame Nkrumah of
Ghana.
• It is a collective movement against bloc- oriented politics, economic inequality, socio-political injustice and
neo-colonialism.
• NAM initiated a new approach to world politics and changed the nature and character of international
relation.
• It emphasizes on the freedom of choice and action in external affairs i.e. independence in foreign policy.
• In the course of its development the concept NAM assumed the forms of a policy, a strategy and an
International System.
• NAM began with 25 countries at the Belgrade conference in 1961. At present there are 114 countries.
Leaders of NAM
A map of NAM countries in 2019
Origin and Formation of the Non-Aligned
Movement
• The Non-Alignment Movement emerged in the context of two global developments: the
decolonization and the cold War.
• It is a policy pertaining to international relations of sovereign state which does not ally itself with any
of the power blocks of the world.
• The post-war period witnessed the disintegration of the European colonial system in the countries of
Asia and Africa.
• The breakup of the colonial system helped many of the colonial territories to gain their independence.
Consequently, many new born independent nations emerged in Asia and Africa.
• USA and the USSR emerged as superpowers at the end of the war.
• The non-alignment movement originated from the common desire of the newly independent countries
to develop economically and survive politically in an atmosphere of international peace.
• They considered the formation of military alliances and the race for weapons by superpowers as
serious threats to their independence.
• The Non-Alignment Movement was formally launched in 1961 on account of the first
conference of non-aligned countries held in Belgrade.
• NAM emerged primarily out of four important developments such as the Asian Relations
Conferences, Panchsheel, Colombo Conference and Bandung Conference.
The Asian Relations Conference was convened at New Delhi in March 1947 by the leaders of
the Indian freedom movement.
• In the Conference Asians discussed their principal problems and Jawaharlal Nehru appealed
the Asians to stay on their own legs and co-operate with all others to resist foreign
domination.
• The Second Asian Relations Conference met at New Delhi in January 1949 underlined the
need of solidarity among Asian Countries and upheld the role of Asia in maintaining world
peace
The Panchsheel enunciated by India along with China contributed to the origin
of the Non-Alignment Movement.
• It was formulated in the context of the Cold War.
• Panchsheel or the five principles of peaceful existence are the following:
Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Mutual
non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, Mutual
equality and friendship and Peaceful co-existence.
• The Panchsheel was incorporated in the preamble of the Indo-Chinese
agreement of April 1954.
• It was later on adopted by the Bandung conference and became an integral part
of the Non-Alignment Movement.
The Colombo Conference of 1954 played a significant role in the formation of the Non- Alignment Movement.
• This Conference was attended by Burma, Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia and Pakistan It discussed the desirability
of holding a Afro-Asian countries.
• It finally took the decision to convent an Afro-Asian conference at Bandung. The preparations for the proposed
conference were made by leaders like Sukarno and Nehru.
Bandung Conference: The foundation of the Non- Alignment Movement was laid down by the first Afro-
Asian Conference held at Bandung in Indonesia in April 1955.
• The conference was attended by 23 Asian and 6 African countries including Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, the
Philippines, Turkey and Thailand.
• For the first time a common platform was emerged. It emphasized the oneness of Asia and Africa in spite of the
diversities prevailed in relation to language, religion and region.
• The Bandung Conference was a major milestone in the history of Non-Aligned Movement. It had expanded by
including men like Abdul Nasser of Egypt to it. The Bandung Conference gave stimulation to the third world
nations. Third word regional coalitions like the organization of the African Unity (OAU) and Arab League (AL)
owe much to the Bandung Conference.
• Belgrade Conference: Though the Bandung Conference initiated the
Non-Aligned Movement, it failed to build a homogenous Asian-
African front.
• A number of Asian and African states refused to conduct their foreign
relations under the banner of non-alignment.
• Therefore in the post-Bandung year the exponents of the Non-aligned
Movement tried to build up an identity to the movement on the basis
of principles and on the basis of region.
• The Non- Alignment Movement was formally inaugurated at the
Belgrade Conference
Objectives
The basic objectives of the non-alignment are laid down at the Belgrade
Conference. The most important objectives of this movement are
(1) liquidation of colonialism and imperialism
(2) preservation of international peace and security
(3) opposition to military alliance
(4) disarmament
(5) ending of racism and racial discrimination
(6) ending of information imperialism
(7) Creation of a New International Economic Order.
Principles of NAM
• The most important principle of the Non-Aligned Movement is the
concept of the preservation of peace and disarmament.
• The non-aligned states believe that war is not inevitable.
• They believe that peaceful co- existence between nations,
democratization of international relations and the disarmament are
the most important requirements for ensuring lasting peace.
• It supports self-determination and racial equality.
• The principle of aims the political liberation of the colonies, therefore,
supports the movements for the liquidation of colonialism.
• NAM upholds the economic equality. Its call for a New International
Economic Order (NIEO) is based on this principle.
• The Non-aligned countries are aware of their unequal economic status.
Even after independence they have remained as the raw material producing
countries and are still dependent on their old colonial masters for
manufactured goods.
• The NAM has emphasized the economic sovereignty of the developing
states. They also demanded a revision of GATT rules to make the
international trade favorable to them.
• Non-aligned states have demanded free access for their raw materials and
manufactured goods to the markets of the developed countries.
Summits of the Non-Aligned Movement
• Periodic summits of the Non-Aligned Movement have been held since the
movement was launched.
• Until now 18 summits has taken place and 2023 summit is in Uganda.
• The second NAM summit conference held at Cairo in 1960 discussed problems like
French and Portuguese colonialism in Africa and Israel's aggressive tendencies.
• Third summit at Lusaka in 1970 NAM laid emphasis on the ending of colonialism
and arms race among the advanced nations.
• The fourth summit held at Algiers in 1973 focused its attention on economic issues.
• The next two summits at Colombo (1976) and at Havana (1979) reaffirmed its faith
in establishing a new International Economic Order in which the gulf between the
rich and poor nations was to be reduced.
Achievements of NAM
• One of the notable contributions of the NAM was the crusade it made against racism. The question
of apartheid in South Africa was brought to international focus by this movement.
• The establishment of the Pool of News Agencies is an important achievement of the NAM in the
cultural field. This enables the politically and economically weaker nations of the Global South to
gather information and communicate with the outside world without the aid of the Western
communication system.
• Moreover the NAM called for the establishment of a New International Information Order
• It has greatly contributed to the relaxation of Cold War tension. It was able to reduce international
tensions and to promote world peace by playing the role of an intermediary between the power
blocs.
• NAM stood for complete disarmament and continuously tried to bring an end to the arms race. It
also called for the conclusion of a treaty banning the production, stockpiling and use of all chemical
weapons.
• The principle of South-South co-operation enabled the smaller non-aligned states to follow their
own paths of developments
• By helping the process of decolonization the Non- Aligned Movement succeeded in changing the
composition of United Nations and the nature of international relations.
• The non- aligned countries formed a substantial voting bloc in the General Assembly. It created a
common platform in the UN Thus the creation of NAM within the UN has facilitated Third
World's participation in world politics and thereby democratized the international relations.
Limitations of NAM
• Non-alignment has been criticized by some as opportunism which tries to gain advantage by
playing one power against the other or by deriving economic benefits from both sides
• The critics of the Non-Aligned Movement attacked the very concept of the movement and tried
to expose its failures and limitations.
• To them the movement is not purely non-aligned in character. From the start its subscribers
have aligned with either the communist or Western bloc.
• Furthermore, all the programs of the NAM have remained only on paper. No blue print for action
has been finalized.
• The NAM failed to tackle issues affecting its own member states. When India and Pakistan and
Iran and Iraq took the swords it failed to stop the war. In the recent past role of the NAM is the
feeblest in the Gulf Crises.
REGIONAL GROUPINGS
• Regional international organizations are created to perform specific or limited functions for a
group of countries which are united by some geographical, cultural or historical factors.
• After the Second World War many regional organizations have been established in different
regions of the world.
European Union
• The European Union (EU) was known as the European Economic Community till 1992.
• It was created to foster greater economic and political integration in Europe.
• It would also help them to avoid another war among them.
• The origin of EU can be traced to the formation of the European coal and steel community in
1952.
• The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27
member states that are signatories to the founding treaties of the
union and thereby share in the privileges and obligations of
membership.
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• ASEAN was formed by five countries-Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand in August 1967.
• Later ASEAN admitted Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and Myanmar to their
side.
• In 1995 they decided to create an ASEAN Free trade area.
• India and the people's republic of China participated in the ASEAN
summit at Bali on October 2003.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-Operation Council (APEC)
• The APEC was established on 5th November 1989. APEC includes the ASEAN countries, U.S.A,
Japan Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea.
• At the inaugural meeting of APEC in 1990 it was decided to open membership negotiations with
China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
South Asian Association for Regional Co- Operation (SAARC)
• SAARC was established in December 1985 by Seven South Asian Countries-India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Srilanka and Maldives.
• The Association has certain Objectives. To promote the welfare of the people of south Asia and
improve quality of their life.
• To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region. To
promote and strengthen collective self-alliance. To contribute to mutual trust, understanding
and appreciation of one another's problems.
• To strengthen co-operation among them in international forums on matters of common
interest and to co- operate with international and regional organizations with similar aims and
purposes.
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)
• The OIC was established in May 1971 and has 45 members. The objectives of
the association are the following.
• To promote Islamic Solidarity among states. To consolidate co-operation
among member member states in the economic social, cultural, scientific field.
• To eliminate racial segregation and discrimination and to eradicate colonialism
in all its forms. To take necessary measures to support international peace and
security founded on justice.
• To co-ordinate all efforts for the safeguard of the places and support of the
struggle of the people of Palestine and help them to regain their rights and
liberate their land.
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
• The OAU is one of the multipurpose regional organizations and the largest in terms of
membership.
• Its objectives are the following
• To promote unity and solidarity of the African states
• To co-operate and co-ordinate efforts to achieve a better life for the people of Africa.
• To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the African states.
• To eradicate all forms of colonialism from Africa.
• To promote international co-operation with due regard to the UN Charter and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights