Nepal has reaffirmed its dedication to the objectives and principles of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during the Ministerial Meeting of the 19th NAM Summit in Kampala, Uganda. Foreign Minister NP Saud, addressing the gathering, emphasized that Nepal’s constitution inherently incorporates NAM principles as the foundation of its foreign policy.
Saud underscored Nepal’s commitment to an independent, objective, balanced, and non-aligned foreign policy, explicitly stating the nation’s refusal to join any military alliance or become part of the security agreements of other countries. This statement alluded to the security and strategic pacts proposed by major powers, notably China and the United States.
In recent times, discussions in Kathmandu have revolved around America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the State Partnership Program, and China’s Global Security Initiatives. Minister Saud’s statement aligns with Nepal’s steadfast stance of avoiding involvement in strategic or military alliances.
Amid increasing pressure from global powers, particularly the US and China, for countries to align themselves, Minister Saud’s remarks reinforced Nepal’s commitment to remaining neutral in great-power rivalries.
The ongoing NAM summit occurs against the backdrop of numerous global challenges, ranging from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to escalating tensions in the Middle East and the China-Taiwan dispute. Saud highlighted the relevance of NAM principles in addressing contemporary global issues, emphasizing the bloc’s strength with 120 member countries representing around 60 percent of the world’s population.
Addressing the growing debate in Nepal about the relevance of non-alignment in the current context, Saud emphasized that NAM, with its majority and moral strength, is crucial in devising solutions to global problems. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s attendance at the conference further underscores Nepal’s commitment to non-alignment.
Saud stressed NAM’s pivotal role in promoting multilateralism, defending the UN Charter and international law, seeking peaceful dispute resolutions, reforming global financial structures, and establishing a just global economic order for shared prosperity. He also emphasized NAM’s role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the Paris Agreement.
Looking ahead, Saud anticipates robust cooperation and renewed partnerships within NAM, fostering investment, resources, capacity-building, and technologies in the spirit of North-South, South-South, and Triangular Cooperation.
As a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement established in 1961 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Nepal continues to uphold the principles of non-alignment in its foreign policy.
