The five criteria for joining NAM were:
♤ the country followed independent foreign policy based on non-alignment and peaceful co- existence;
♤ the country was opposed to colonialism and imperialism;
♤ it should not have been a member of a Cold War related military bloc;
♤ it should not have had a bilateral treaty with any of the Super Powers; and
♤ NAM should not have allowed any foreign military base on its territory.
NAM does not have a formal constitution or permanent secretariat, and its administration is non-hierarchical and rotational. Decisions are made by consensus, which requires substantial agreement, but not unanimity.
At each Summit, a new Head of State formally becomes the chair, and assumes that position until the next Summit. The chair is responsible for promoting the principles and activities of NAM, and the Foreign Ministry and Permanent Mission in New York of the Chair's State assumes administrative responsibility.
Coordinating Bureau is an ambassadorial-level body, based at the United Nations in New York, reviews and facilitates activities between the working groups, contact groups, task forces, and committees. It is also charged with strengthening coordination and cooperation among NAM States. The Chair's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York functions as the CoB chair. Troika Created in 1997, this body consists of past, serving and future Chairs, and operates at the discretion of the incumbent chair.
The Non-Aligned Security Council Caucus consists of NAM countries who are elected to the UN Security Council as rotating members. These States seek to adopt unified positions and to reflect the decisions and positions adopted at NAM Summits and Ministerial Conferences.
The Joint Coordinating Committee of NAM and the Group of 77 members meets regularly in New York to coordinate and promote the interests of developing countries in the international community. It was established in 1994.
From its inception in 1961, the NAM has grown both quantitatively and qualitatively. In 2015, there were as many as 120 members of NAM, 17 Observer States and 10 observer organizations.
Its summits are periodically held in which issues concerning international politics are discussed, and attempts are made to evolve a common approach to various issues. Since the number of members has grown very large, it often becomes difficult to adopt an approach that all countries can follow. The NAM lost some of its fervor after the end of Cold War, though its relevance is claimed by various leaders.
NAM: Role after the Cold War
Since the end of the Cold War and the formal end of colonialism, the Non-Aligned Movement has been forced to redefine itself and reinvent its purpose in the current world system. A major question has been whether many of its foundational ideologies, principally national independence, territorial integrity, and the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, can be applied to contemporary issues.
The movement has emphasised its principles of multilateralism, equality, and mutual non- aggression in attempting to become a stronger voice for the global South, and an instrument that can be utilised to promote the needs of member nations at the international level and strengthen their political leverage when negotiating with developed nations. In its efforts to advance Southern interests, the movement has stressed the importance of cooperation and unity amongst member states, but as in the past, cohesion remains a problem since the size of
the organisation and the divergence of agendas and allegiances present the ongoing potential for fragmentation.
While agreement on basic principles has been smooth, taking definitive action vis-à-vis particular international issues has been rare, with the movement preferring to assert its criticism or support rather than pass hard-line resolutions. The movement continues to see a role for itself, as in its view, the world’s poorest nations remain exploited and marginalised, no longer by opposing superpowers, but rather in a uni-polar world, and it is Western hegemony and neo-colonialism that the movement has really re-aligned itself against. It opposes foreign occupation, interference in internal affairs, and aggressive unilateral measures, but it has also shifted to focus on the socio-economic challenges facing member states, especially the inequalities manifested by globalisation and the implications of neo-liberal policies. The Non- Aligned Movement has identified economic underdevelopment, poverty, and social injustices as growing threats to peace and security.
Recent activities and positions of NAM:
Summits
13th Summit: 13th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 24-25 February 2003.
14th Summit: The 14th Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non- Aligned Movement was held in Havana, Cuba, from 11-16 September 2006.
15th Summit: On 15 July 2009, NAM concluded its 15th summit meeting at an Egyptian Red Sea Resort in Sharm el-Sheikh.
16th Summit: from 26-31 August 2012, the 16th Summit Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Tehran, Iran. During the conference, the Heads of State or Government discussed a variety of issues, The Final Document contained positions on global, regional and sub-regional and development, social and human rights issues.
17th Summit: On 17 September 2016, Venezuela hosted the 17th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. Attendance at the summit has dwindled in recent years; thirty-five heads of state attended in 2012 and only ten attended in 2016. Discussions covered Palestine, the U.S.-Cuba relationship, and Venezuela’s political climate.
18th Summit: Proposed to take place in Azerbaijan in 2019
Positions:
Criticism of US policy
In recent years the organization has criticized US foreign policy. The US invasion of Iraq and the War on Terrorism, its attempts to stifle Iran and North Korea's nuclear plans, and its other actions have been denounced as human rights violations and attempts to run roughshod over the sovereignty of smaller nations. The movement’s leaders have also criticized the American control over the United Nations and other international structures.
Self-determination of Puerto Rico
Since 1961, the group have supported the discussion of the case of Puerto Rico's self- determination before the United Nations.
Self-determination of Western Sahara
Since 1973, the group have supported the discussion of the case of Western Sahara's self- determination before the United Nations. The Non-Aligned Movement reaffirmed in its meeting at (Sharm El Sheikh 2009) the support to the Self-determination of the Sahrawi people by
choosing between any valid option, welcomed the direct conversations between the parts, and remembered the responsibility of the United Nations on the Sahrawi issue.
Sustainable development
The movement is publicly committed to the tenets of sustainable development and the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, but it believes that the international community has not created conditions conducive to development and has infringed upon the right to sovereign development by each member state. Issues such as globalisation, the debt burden, unfair trade practices, the decline in foreign aid, donor conditionalities, and the lack of democracy in international financial decision-making are cited as factors inhibiting development.
Reforms of the UN
The Non-Aligned Movement has been quite outspoken in its criticism of current UN structures and power dynamics, mostly in how the organisation has been utilised by powerful states in ways that violate the movement’s principles. It has made a number of recommendations that would strengthen the representation and power of ‘non-aligned’ states. The proposed reforms are also aimed at improving the transparency and democracy of UN decision- making. The UN Security Council is the element considered the most distorted, undemocratic, and in need of reshaping.
South-south cooperation
Lately the Non-Aligned Movement has collaborated with other organisations of the developing world, primarily the Group of 77, forming a number of joint committees and releasing statements and document representing the shared interests of both groups. This dialogue and cooperation can be taken as an effort to increase the global awareness about the organisation and bolster its political clout.
Cultural diversity and human rights
The movement accepts the universality of human rights and social justice, but fiercely resists cultural homogenisation. In line with its views on sovereignty, the organisation appeals for the protection of cultural diversity, and the tolerance of the religious, socio-cultural, and historical particularities that define human rights in a specific region.
Feel Free to add your Own Notes in blank Spaces
.