{
  "id": 14857613,
  "title": "Can NAM reclaim its voice in a fragmented world?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/can-nam-reclaim-its-voice-in-a-fragmented-world",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T03:00:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2026/10/1556637/can-nam-reclaim-its-voice-fragmented-world"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In April 1955, representatives from 29 Asian and African nations convened at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia to create a new pathway. Rejecting the Cold War's division between Washington and Moscow, they laid the groundwork for what would become the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The movement's early leaders included Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Jawaharlal Nehru of India, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Sukarno of Indonesia, and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. Despite deep ideological differences, intense geopolitical suspicions, and border tensions, these leaders united, recognizing that their minor disagreements were secondary to the common threat of superpower domination and the urgent need for sovereignty within the Global South. Tito's conviction was clear: \"Power is not measured in atomic warheads, but in solidarity,\" emphasizing that when the weak stand together, even the strong must listen. Over the decades, the solidarity forged by NAM yielded significant victories, including anti-colonial liberation in Africa and Asia, a unified diplomatic voice at the United Nations, advocacy for global nuclear disarmament, and the pursuit of equitable global trade. However, today, as the international landscape has drastically transformed, NAM's voice has diminished. The ideological bridge between East and West that once existed in Yugoslavia no longer exists, while China, a former observer, now dominates the global economic and military stage. Europe grapples with economic stagnation and political volatility, while Asia's rapid economic growth and Africa's burgeoning demographic trends present both opportunities and challenges. Despite these shifts, a new form of neo-imperialism is evident, exemplified by acts of genocide in Gaza, economic coercion in Latin America, and regional conflicts in the Middle East. In this context, the original Bandung warning from President Sukarno resonates more than ever: \"Colonialism is not dead... It has its modern dress, in the form of economic control, intellectual control, actual physical control by a small but alien community within a nation.\" The current global order is increasingly being defined by the aggressive assertion of power, with foreign interventionism and economic blockades becoming normalized. As the Global South faces this renewed imperialism, the urgency for collective action is clearer than ever. However, NAM's recent performance has been lackluster, marked by procedural inertia and muted responses to global crises. While South Africa's legal challenges against Israel and Asean's regional leadership offer glimmers of hope, these represent isolated acts rather than a coordinated, robust counterforce. To effectively counter the resurgence of imperial dominance, NAM must evolve from its traditional model of occasional summits to one that fosters concrete institutional strength. This evolution requires more than just annual meetings; it necessitates decisive action in building a unified, decisive force that can articulate the interests of the Global South. The time is ripe for NAM to rise from its fragmented state and reclaim its voice in a world increasingly dominated by unilateral power plays.",
  "summary": "IN April 1955, amidst the backdrop of the Bandung Conference in Indonesia, statesmen from 29 Asian and African nations gathered to forge a bold third path.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}