Introduction & Highlight:

  1. The 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit was held in Uganda, themed as 'Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.'
  2. The summit saw participation from over 120 developing nations, including India, a founding member of NAM.
  3. Indian External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, represented India at the summit, which showcased India's dedication to NAM's fundamentals.

India's Involvement and Bilateral Talks:

  1. India's active participation in the NAM Summit signifies its dedication to fostering cooperation among nations without powerful blocs.
  2. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held sideline discussions with his counterparts from Belarus and Egypt, focusing on mutual dialogue, understanding, and reciprocal cooperation.

Regional Engagements:

  1. EAM Jaishankar met with officials from the Maldives and Angola to discuss issues related to the withdrawal of Indian military from the Maldives, ongoing development projects, and the expansion of India-Angola collaboration.

Enhancement in Multilateral Cooperation:

  1. India's active role in the multilateral forum was acknowledged, evidenced by the visa-free arrangement for Indian nationals provided by Angola.

Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)- A brief recap:

  1. NAM was established in 1961, amidst the Cold War, anchored on the Panchsheel principle.
  2. The main objective of the movement was to prioritise the interest of developing nations during the Cold War rivalry.
  3. NAM has played a vital role in decolonization, establishment of independent states, and the democratisation of international relations.
  4. The movement comprises 120 member states, essentially making up about 60% of the total United Nations membership.

Founders of NAM:

  1. Historical figures instrumental in the establishment of NAM include Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, and Sukarno of Indonesia.

NAM Summit History:

  1. The first-ever summit was held in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
  2. The 18th summit took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2019, with Azerbaijan holding the chairmanship from 2019-2023.
  3. The most recent, the 19th NAM Summit, was held in Uganda.