What is the full form of NAM

NAM: Non-Aligned Movement

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an organization of countries that do not formally align themselves with any major power bloc or alliance. It was founded in 1961 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, as a reaction to the competition between the US and the Soviet Union as superpowers during the Cold War.

The NAM was founded to promote peace, independence, and cooperation among its member states and ensure that developing countries' interests were represented internationally. After the United Nations, the organization expanded tremendously and has 120 member nations, making it the second-largest international organization. The NAM has been important in shaping global politics, particularly in disarmament, development, human rights, and the environment. The organization has been a vocal advocate for the rights of developing countries and has worked to promote a more equitable world order.

Member Countries of NAM

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) currently has 120 member countries from various regions of the world. Here is the list of all member countries of the NAM as of 2023:

1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Angola
4. Antigua and Barbuda
5. Argentina
6. Armenia
7. Azerbaijan
8. Bahamas
9. Bahrain
10. Bangladesh
11. Barbados
12. Belarus
13. Belize
14. Benin
15. Bhutan
16. Bolivia
17. Bosnia and Herzegovina
18. Botswana
19. Brazil
20. Brunei
21. Burkina Faso
22. Burundi
23. Cambodia
24. Cameroon
25. Cape Verde
26. Central African Republic
27. Chad
28. Chile
29. Colombia
30. Comoros
31. Congo (Democratic Republic of)
32. Congo (Republic of)
33. Costa Rica
34. Côte d'Ivoire
35. Cuba
36. Cyprus
37. Djibouti
38. Dominica
39. Dominican Republic
40. Ecuador
41. Egypt
42. El Salvador
43. Equatorial Guinea
44. Eritrea
45. Eswatini
46. Ethiopia
47. Fiji
48. Gabon
49. Gambia
50. Georgia
51. Ghana
52. Grenada
53. Guatemala
54. Guinea
55. Guinea-Bissau
56. Guyana
57. Haiti
58. Honduras
59. India
60. Indonesia
61. Iran
62. Iraq
63. Jamaica
64. Jordan
65. Kazakhstan
66. Kenya
67. Kiribati
68. Kuwait
69. Kyrgyzstan
70. Laos
71. Lebanon
72. Lesotho
73. Liberia
74. Libya
75. Madagascar
76. Malawi
77. Malaysia
78. Maldives
79. Mali
80. Malta
81. Marshall Islands
82. Mauritania
83. Mauritius
84. Mexico
85. Micronesia
86. Moldova
87. Mongolia
88. Montenegro
89. Morocco
90. Mozambique
91. Myanmar (Burma)
92. Namibia
93. Nauru
94. Nepal
95. Nicaragua
96. Niger
97. Nigeria
98. North Korea
99. North Macedonia
100. Oman
101. Pakistan
102. Palau
103. Palestine
104. Panama
105. Papua New Guinea
106. Paraguay
107. Peru
108. Philippines
109. Qatar
110. Russia
111. Rwanda
112. Saint Kitts and Nevis
113. Saint Lucia
114. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
115. Samoa
116. Sao Tome and Principe
117. Saudi Arabia
118. Senegal
119. Serbia
120. Seychelles

It's worth noting that some countries have suspended or terminated their membership in the NAM over the years, while others have joined as new members.

Principles of NAM

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is based on principles and values guiding its member states in their foreign policy and international relations. These principles reflect the core values and beliefs of the NAM and guide its member states in their efforts to promote peace, development, and social justice and address the challenges facing the international community. These principles include:

1. Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity: NAM members refrain from meddling in the internal affairs of other nations and respect their territorial integrity and sovereignty.
2. Non-Aggression and Non-Intervention: NAM member states pledge to refrain from any form of aggression or intervention in the affairs of other countries and to settle their disputes peacefully through dialogue and negotiations.
3. Mutual Respect and Equality: NAM member states treat each other as equal partners, regardless of size, power, or economic status.
4. Cooperation and Solidarity: NAM member states promote cooperation and solidarity among themselves and other countries, intending to promote peace, development, and social justice.
5. Peaceful Resolution of Conflicts: NAM member states believe in peaceful resolution through negotiation, mediation, or other peaceful means and reject the use or threat of force.
6. Opposition to Colonialism and Imperialism: NAM member states oppose colonialism and imperialism in all forms and support peoples' right to self-determination and independence.
7. Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy: The NAM member nations oppose all forms of prejudice and injustice and support advancing and defending human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
8. Economic Cooperation and Development: NAM member states seek to promote economic cooperation and development among themselves and other countries to achieve sustainable and equitable economic growth and social progress.
9. Protection of the Environment: NAM member states recognize the importance of protecting and promoting sustainable development and are committed to addressing global environmental challenges.

Objective of NAM

The major goal of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which was established in 1961 during the Cold War era, was to advance the interests of developing nations that had just gained their independence from colonial oppression. The movement aimed to create a forum where countries could pursue an independent foreign policy, free from the influence of the major powers of the time, namely the United States and the Soviet Union. Over the years, the NAM has evolved and expanded its objectives to address various issues affecting developing countries. Here are some of the main objectives of the NAM:

1. Economic development and social progress: The NAM promotes social and economic advancement in its member nations. The movement holds that each country should be free to implement its economic and social policies without external influence. The NAM advocates for fair trade policies, debt relief, and greater market access for developing countries to achieve this objective.
2. Disarmament and non-proliferation: The NAM is committed to promoting disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The movement believes that nuclear weapons pose a grave threat to global peace and security and that all nations are responsible for working towards their elimination. The NAM has been instrumental in promoting the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in different regions of the world, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific, and Africa.
3. Promotion of international law: The NAM is dedicated to defending the norms of international law and the UN Charter. The movement believes that international law should be the basis for all international relations and that all nations, regardless of size or power, should be subject to the same rules and norms. The NAM supports UN reform to improve its representation of and sensitivity to the interests of developing nations.
4. Peaceful settlement of disputes: The NAM contends that peaceful methods, including dialogue, mediation, and arbitration, should be used to settle international problems. The movement opposes using force or coercion to settle disputes and advocates for creating mechanisms to prevent and manage conflicts.
5. Combating imperialism, colonialism, and racism: The NAM is committed to combating imperialism, colonialism, and racism in all its forms. The movement believes that all nations have the right to self-determination and that no nation should be subjected to foreign domination or control. The NAM also advocates for eliminating all forms of racial discrimination and prejudice.

Characteristic of NAM

Here are some of the key characteristics of NAM:

1. Anti-colonialism: NAM was born from the struggle against colonialism and imperialism, and its members were often former colonies or territories recently gaining independence from European powers. The movement has always been dedicated to territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
2. Diversity: NAM is a diverse group of countries, with members from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Its member states' various cultures, religions, and political systems reflect this diversity.
3. Unity: Despite their differences, NAM members have always sought to unite around common goals and interests. This has frequently required speaking out against strong nations and for the rights of poor countries.
4. Non-alignment: As the name suggests, NAM members are not aligned with any major power bloc. This has allowed them to pursue their interests and priorities without being dragged into the conflicts and tensions of the Cold War era.
5. Global governance: NAM has strongly advocated reforming global governance institutions such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization. Its members have called for greater representation and participation by developing countries in these organizations.
6. South-South cooperation: NAM has encouraged cooperation and solidarity among developing countries, particularly through exchanging knowledge, technology, and resources. This has been seen as a way to bypass the dominant influence of developed countries and promote self-reliance and development.
7. Peaceful resolution of conflicts: NAM has always been committed to the peaceful resolution of conflicts within and between member states. This has often involved advocating for mediation and dialogue rather than military intervention.

NAM in Cold War Era

1. Against Apartheid: Apartheid's evil was pervasive in African nations like South Africa, and it was a topic of discussion at every NAM conference from the organization's first meeting. During the second NAM summit in Cairo, the South African government was warned not to maintain its racist apartheid practices.
2. Disarmament: The Non-Aligned Movement has repeatedly advocated for preserving peace, the end of the armaments race, and the peaceful coexistence of all States. In a draft resolution submitted to the General Assembly, India argued that using nuclear weapons would be against the UN charter and a crime against humanity and therefore be forbidden.
3. UNSC reforms: The NAM has fought against US and USSR hegemony since it was founded and has backed UNSC changes. It wanted third-world countries included to make the UNSC more democratic. Participants in the 17th NAM conference in Venezuela reiterated this demand.
4. Failed to resolve regional tensions: South Asian tension rose due to the Cold War between India, China, and Pakistan. The NAM's failure to quell local concerns led to the nuclearization of the region.

Relevance of NAM

The platform of NAM and its guiding principles are still valid now.

• World peace: The NAM has actively contributed to keeping the peace around the globe. It keeps sticking to the fundamental ideals, notion, and goal of creating a peaceful and prosperous world. It supported disarmament, a sovereign world order, and prohibited any nation's invasion.
• Third World nations: The NAM protected these little countries against the Western hegemony since they were struggling with socioeconomic issues due to being exploited for a very long period by other wealthy countries.
• Territorial integrity and sovereignty: Intending to protect the independence of every nation, NAM stands by this concept and repeatedly demonstrates its applicability.
• Equitable world order: NAM advocates for a just global order. It can serve as a link between the political and ideological divides present in the global setting.
• Cultural diversity and human rights: It can offer an environment for bringing up such concerns and finding solutions through its principles in an egregious human rights violation.
• Sustainable development: The NAM backed the idea of sustainable development and can guide the globe toward it. It may be utilized as a bigger platform to reach agreements on important global issues, including terrorism, migration, and climate change.
• Interest in developing countries: The NAM serves as a venue to discuss and peacefully resolve conflicts, obtaining the best outcomes for each member country if they emerge between industrialized and developing nations at any stage of a relevant issue, such as the WTO.
• Economic growth: The NAM nations already have advantages, including favourable demographics, high demand, and advantageous locations. Their collaboration may result in more rapid and long-lasting economic growth, and regional organizations like the TPP and RCEP may not be necessary.