NIGERIA’s FOREIGN POLICY AND THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT MEETING IN UGANDA TODAY: FOR THE ATTENTION OF PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF NIGERIA—
(for the benefits of political science students, International Relation, international politics as well as interested readers)
By Abbati Bako
Nigeria is a member of many global intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. One of them is the NAM Nations.The Non-aligned Movement (NAM) is an intergovernmental organization from different continents of the world particularly, the developing world of Africa, Asia and Latin America; considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power or bloc. The organization has been in existence since the era of Cold War between the Western World and Eastern part of the World. The NAM organization’s meeting is holding in Kampala today and all the ember Nations from Africa, Asia and Latin America are in attendance.
The aim of their foreign policy is not to align themselves with any bloc or super power country in case of war or conflicts. But the question is: why has the NAM organization not been active in global political, economic and social security despite the fact that they are 75% of global population and labourers that manufacture all global utensils?
The Movement was created in 1956 after the Second World War when the cold war between the USA and the former Soviet Union (USSR) was at high gear. The Movement is largely the brainchild of India’s first Prime Minister, late Jawaharlal Nehru, late President Jamal Abdul Nasser of Egypt and late Joseph Broz Tito of former Yugoslavia and late President Sukarno of Indonesia.
The movement was founded in Belgrade in 1961. As at 2009, it had 118 member nations and 17 observer countries. According to coordinating Bureau, they first set up in Algiers in 1973, but by 1976, the movement enlarged from 17 to 25 members at the Havana conference in August 1979. At that time, Africa had 17 representation, Asia 12, Latin America 5 and Yugoslavia from Europe. India played an important role in the multilateral movement of colonies and newly independence countries that developed into non-aligned movement.
The non-aligned nations consisted 2/3 of United Nations member states and comprises 75% of world population, especially countries considered to be developing or popularly known as third world or southern part of the world or emerging Nations.
Criteria for membership include-
1. Member country could not involve in alliances or defense pact with the main world powers.
2. Non-aligned movement prevents its members from becoming involved in cold war power games and distanced itself from the western and former USSR bloc.
The analysis of the situation———
What are the activities of the non-aligned countries? For what purpose was the organization created? What is their foreign policy stance? Does the organization so far achieve its purpose and objectives as regards to foreign policy stance? Does it have a similar function with NATO, AU or Commonwealth for example?
What future prospect does the movement have? Why did some other Nations of the world not join the movement especially developed Nations of the Northern part of the World? After analyzing and digesting these questions this writing will come up with details and argument (from some quarters) as whether the countries that aligned themselves have achieved desirable foreign policy results or not especially, on Economic Relations, Security and Freedom of want? What benefits has Nigeria gained in the past 60 years as a member of NAM?
To be continued InShaAllah
Abbati Bako,political strategist and Analyst in International Politics, psc, bsis, Kent, UK and Researcher in International Economic Relations Skyline University Kano, Nigeria.