Recently, a virtual summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group convened around the pivotal theme, “United against Covid-19”. The meeting was championed by Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, who is currently serving as the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement. The conference attracted over 30 Heads of State and major leaders, including the UN General Assembly president and the chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In a historic first, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in this NAM Summit, his debut since assuming office in 2014. Setting precedents, PM Modi had earlier abstained from attending the NAM Summits in 2016 and 2019, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so.
Declaration and Initiatives Amidst the Pandemic
The Summit led to the unanimous adoption of a Declaration which emphasized global unity in combatting Covid-19. Subsequently, the creation of a ‘Task Force’ was announced to identify the needs and requirements of member States. This task force will work towards establishing a common database detailing the basic medical, social and humanitarian needs of various countries in their fight against Covid-19.
India’s Stance at the Summit: A Global Fight Against Covid-19
As the world grapples with the pandemic, India has proved its mettle as the global pharmacy, ensuring the supply of affordable medicines to 123 partner countries, including 59 NAM members, despite grappling with the pandemic at home. India is also making significant contributions towards the development of potential remedies and vaccines against Covid-19 on a global scale.
India’s Call for a New Template of Globalisation
Reflecting on the limitations exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, India proposed a renewed vision for the global order, one that allows for more representational and fair international institutions. With Covid-19 as the catalyst, India argued that a new iteration of globalisation is needed – one that emphasises fairness, equality, and humanity.
Necessity for International Cooperation and Other Issues
India reiterated NAM’s role in urging worldwide cooperation and WHO’s focus on buttressing health-capacity in developing countries. Emphasizing accessibility, India promoted the necessity for all to have equitable, affordable, and timely availability of health products and technologies. Furthermore, India stressed the hazards of “terrorism” and “fake news,” terming them “deadly viruses” in the current critical global scenario.
About the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
The NAM was established during the Cold War as an assembly of States choosing neutrality over alignment with either the United States or the Soviet Union. The inception of NAM took place in 1955 at the Asia-Africa Bandung Conference in Indonesia. Its first conference was held in 1961 under the leadership of prominent figures such as Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, and Sukarno of Indonesia.
Operating without a formal constitution or permanent secretariat, the NAM’s administration relies on a non-hierarchical, rotational structure with decisions made by consensus. As of April 2018, The NAM boasts 120 members, including 53 from Africa, 39 from Asia, 26 from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with 2 European members (Belarus, Azerbaijan). Additionally, there are 17 countries and 10 international organisations that function as Observers at NAM.
Defined in the Havana Declaration of 1979, the purpose of NAM is to ensure the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries in their struggle against various forms of foreign subjugation.
