Dr Mohamed Kirat
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
The force of the 17th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held in Algiers, from May 26
to 29, 2014 will be a “source of inspiration and motivation” for the Movement, declared Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, on Thursday. “The force of our Conference will cement our cohesion and will strengthen our coordination over the questions of peace, security and development,” Lamamra said in his closing address.
The Non-Aligned Movement is composed of states from all corners of the globe which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. As of 2013, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries. The organisation was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely conceived by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Burma’s first Prime Minister, U Nu; Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno; Egypt’s second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah; and Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito. All six leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for states in the Developing World between the Western and Eastern blocs in the Cold War.
The founding fathers of the Non-aligned movement were: Sukarno of Indonesia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. Their actions were known as ‘The Initiative of Five’. The movement, according to Fidel Castro, a prominent activist of NAM, strives to ensure “the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries” in their “struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics”. The Non-Aligned Movement is represented by nearly two-thirds of the United Nations’ members and consists of 55 percent of the world population. Membership is particularly concentrated in countries considered to be developing or part of the Third World. The current requirements are that the candidate country has displayed practices in accordance with the ten “Bandung principles” of 1955: Respect for fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations; recognition of the movements for national independence; recognition of the equality of all races and of the equality of all nations, large and small; abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country; respect for the right of each nation to defend itself singly or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations; refraining from acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country; settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations; promotion of mutual interests and co-operation; and respect for justice and international obligations.
By the end of the 1980s, the Movement was facing the great challenge brought about by the collapse of the socialist block. The end of the clash between the two antagonistic blocks that was the reason for its existence, name and essence was seen by some as the beginning of the end for the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. NAM could not spare itself difficulties to act effectively in an adverse international political situation marked by hegemonic positions and unipolarity as well as by internal difficulties and conflicts given the heterogeneity of its membership and, thus, its diverse interests. Nevertheless, and in spite of such setbacks, the principles and objectives of non-alignment retain their full validity and force at the present international juncture. The primary condition that led to the emergence of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, that is, non-alignment from antagonistic blocks, has not lost its validity with the end of the Cold War.
While many of the Non-Aligned Movement’s members were actually quite closely aligned with one or another of the super powers, the movement still maintained cohesion throughout the Cold War. Some members were involved in serious conflicts with other members such as India and Pakistan, and Iran and Iraq. The movement fractured due to its own internal contradictions when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. While the Soviet allies supported the invasion, other members of the movement condemned it.
The NAM two-day conference ended on Thursday evening with the adoption of Algiers Declaration. This meeting allowed “an accurate and overall perspective on the common interests, including the revival of our approach and the innovative nature of positions,” Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, underscored. The minister noted that the initiatives made by the Non-Aligned Countries “are designed to structure” cooperation within the Movement and “foster” its role and weight in international relations. He further emphasised the Movement’s “commitment” to “achieving the goal of democratising international relations by the rehabilitation of UN Assembly General prerogatives” and the “re-balancing” of UN Security Council as well as a “reform” of the economic and financial international institutions.
The movement has succeeded to create a strong front at the international level, representing countries of the third world in international organisations on top of which the United Nations. Current Challenges facing the NAM include the necessity of protecting the principles of International law, eliminating weapons of mass destruction, combating terrorism, defending human rights, working toward making the United Nations more effective in meeting the needs of all its member states in order to preserve international peace, security and stability, as well as realising justice in the international economic system. On the other hand, the long-standing goals of the Movement remain to be realised. Peace, development, economic cooperation and the democratisation of international relations, to mention just a few, are old goals of the non-aligned countries. The Non-Aligned Movement, faced with the goals yet to be reached and the many new challenges that are arising, is called upon to maintain a prominent and leading role in current international relations in defence of the interests and priorities of its member states and for achievement of peace and security for mankind.
Because the Non-Aligned Movement was formed as an attempt to thwart the Cold War, it has struggled to find relevance since the Cold War ended. The movement was prominent and successful in helping colonised countries to get their independence and to promote the concept of self determination throughout the world. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc, many have questioned the raison d’être of the MNA and what kind of roles are there for a movement representing two thirds of the countries of the world and 55 percent of its population. The MNA, however, is working towards the following: Criticism of US policy, self-determination of Western Sahara, self-determination of Puerto Rico, sustainable development, reforms of the UN, South- South cooperation, cultural diversity and human rights.
Dr Kirat is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
The force of the 17th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held in Algiers, from May 26
to 29, 2014 will be a “source of inspiration and motivation” for the Movement, declared Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramtane Lamamra, on Thursday. “The force of our Conference will cement our cohesion and will strengthen our coordination over the questions of peace, security and development,” Lamamra said in his closing address.
The Non-Aligned Movement is composed of states from all corners of the globe which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. As of 2013, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries. The organisation was founded in Belgrade in 1961, and was largely conceived by India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Burma’s first Prime Minister, U Nu; Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno; Egypt’s second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser; Ghana’s first president Kwame Nkrumah; and Yugoslavia’s president, Josip Broz Tito. All six leaders were prominent advocates of a middle course for states in the Developing World between the Western and Eastern blocs in the Cold War.
The founding fathers of the Non-aligned movement were: Sukarno of Indonesia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. Their actions were known as ‘The Initiative of Five’. The movement, according to Fidel Castro, a prominent activist of NAM, strives to ensure “the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries” in their “struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics”. The Non-Aligned Movement is represented by nearly two-thirds of the United Nations’ members and consists of 55 percent of the world population. Membership is particularly concentrated in countries considered to be developing or part of the Third World. The current requirements are that the candidate country has displayed practices in accordance with the ten “Bandung principles” of 1955: Respect for fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations; respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations; recognition of the movements for national independence; recognition of the equality of all races and of the equality of all nations, large and small; abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country; respect for the right of each nation to defend itself singly or collectively, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations; refraining from acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country; settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations; promotion of mutual interests and co-operation; and respect for justice and international obligations.
By the end of the 1980s, the Movement was facing the great challenge brought about by the collapse of the socialist block. The end of the clash between the two antagonistic blocks that was the reason for its existence, name and essence was seen by some as the beginning of the end for the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. NAM could not spare itself difficulties to act effectively in an adverse international political situation marked by hegemonic positions and unipolarity as well as by internal difficulties and conflicts given the heterogeneity of its membership and, thus, its diverse interests. Nevertheless, and in spite of such setbacks, the principles and objectives of non-alignment retain their full validity and force at the present international juncture. The primary condition that led to the emergence of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, that is, non-alignment from antagonistic blocks, has not lost its validity with the end of the Cold War.
While many of the Non-Aligned Movement’s members were actually quite closely aligned with one or another of the super powers, the movement still maintained cohesion throughout the Cold War. Some members were involved in serious conflicts with other members such as India and Pakistan, and Iran and Iraq. The movement fractured due to its own internal contradictions when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. While the Soviet allies supported the invasion, other members of the movement condemned it.
The NAM two-day conference ended on Thursday evening with the adoption of Algiers Declaration. This meeting allowed “an accurate and overall perspective on the common interests, including the revival of our approach and the innovative nature of positions,” Ramtane Lamamra, Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, underscored. The minister noted that the initiatives made by the Non-Aligned Countries “are designed to structure” cooperation within the Movement and “foster” its role and weight in international relations. He further emphasised the Movement’s “commitment” to “achieving the goal of democratising international relations by the rehabilitation of UN Assembly General prerogatives” and the “re-balancing” of UN Security Council as well as a “reform” of the economic and financial international institutions.
The movement has succeeded to create a strong front at the international level, representing countries of the third world in international organisations on top of which the United Nations. Current Challenges facing the NAM include the necessity of protecting the principles of International law, eliminating weapons of mass destruction, combating terrorism, defending human rights, working toward making the United Nations more effective in meeting the needs of all its member states in order to preserve international peace, security and stability, as well as realising justice in the international economic system. On the other hand, the long-standing goals of the Movement remain to be realised. Peace, development, economic cooperation and the democratisation of international relations, to mention just a few, are old goals of the non-aligned countries. The Non-Aligned Movement, faced with the goals yet to be reached and the many new challenges that are arising, is called upon to maintain a prominent and leading role in current international relations in defence of the interests and priorities of its member states and for achievement of peace and security for mankind.
Because the Non-Aligned Movement was formed as an attempt to thwart the Cold War, it has struggled to find relevance since the Cold War ended. The movement was prominent and successful in helping colonised countries to get their independence and to promote the concept of self determination throughout the world. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bloc, many have questioned the raison d’être of the MNA and what kind of roles are there for a movement representing two thirds of the countries of the world and 55 percent of its population. The MNA, however, is working towards the following: Criticism of US policy, self-determination of Western Sahara, self-determination of Puerto Rico, sustainable development, reforms of the UN, South- South cooperation, cultural diversity and human rights.
Dr Kirat is a professor of Public Relations and Mass Communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.
