Indonesia Urges Internal Reform of NAM to Strengthen Global Solidarity

KBRN, Kampala: Indonesia has urged the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to undertake internal reforms as a means to reinforce solidarity among member states.

The call was made by Deputy Foreign Minister Arrmanatha C. Nasir during the 19th Ministerial Meeting of the NAM Coordinating Bureau (PTM GNB) held in Kampala, Uganda, on October 15–16, 2025.

“We must break the habit of spending resources to produce thousands of pages of documents that offer no direct benefit to the people,” Arrmanatha stated firmly.

He emphasized that NAM’s continued relevance depends on a strong and fair multilateral system, rooted in the United Nations Charter and international law.

He called on NAM to take a leading role in advocating for UN reform and a more inclusive global order, one that upholds justice and the rule of law, particularly in support of the Palestinian people.

Arrmanatha also encouraged NAM to deepen South-South cooperation, including by maximizing the role of the NAM Centre for South-South Technical Cooperation in Jakarta, which serves as a hub for development collaboration and knowledge exchange among developing nations.

“We must revive the spirit of unity, from NAM for NAM, to empower one another and strengthen collective self-reliance,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of rekindling the “Spirit of Bandung 1955” to ensure NAM remains relevant in addressing today’s increasingly complex global challenges.

Highlighting current geopolitical tensions, rapid technological shifts, widening social inequality, the climate crisis, and declining global trust, Arrmanatha posed a critical question. “The issue today is not whether NAM is still relevant, but whether NAM chooses to remain relevant.”

He lamented the fading collective voice of NAM on the issue of Palestinian independence, once a core concern of the movement.

“Only 70 percent of NAM members supported the New York Declaration on the Two-State Solution. This reflects a decline in NAM’s solidarity with Palestine,” he noted.

The 19th NAM Ministerial Meeting in Kampala was chaired by Uganda’s Foreign Minister Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, who currently serves as NAM Chair for the 2024–2027 term. The meeting, themed “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” brought together dozens of NAM member state representatives.

The gathering concluded with the adoption of a Final Document outlining NAM’s strategic priorities, including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, and poverty alleviation. (Naura Sofia/Sri Wahyuni)