The case for developing countries' solidarity

Needless to say, foreign relations have never been as important to Sri Lanka as they are currently. At a time when moves are underway in some Western quarters to undermine this country's sovereignty and its right to self-determination, it goes without saying that extra care must be taken to keep with us all our traditional as well as new allies. The importance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's present visit to China needs to be assessed in the light of these considerations.

A country's foreign policy cannot be assessed in isolation from its national interests. Even a foreign policy which is purportedly Non-aligned is geared to achieving a country's most vital interests and, from this point of view, could not be seen as being pursued by the state concerned in a spirit of disinterest. For instance, when Non-alignment first saw the light of day in the early sixties, it was crafted as a response to the Cold War realities of those times.

The founding fathers of the Non-aligned Movement saw that this principle was fully in the interests of the Third World because it enabled the developing countries to steer clear of the rival power blocs of those Cold War years. By preventing themselves from getting inveigled into the rival power camps headed by the US and the USSSR, the developing countries aimed at not only earning the good will of the majority of states but sought to be in a position to attract unto themselves the unstinted co-operation of the international community.

It would not be pertinent, in this commentary, to take-up the question of whether such foreign policy strategizing worked well for the Third World in general. All that could be said is that Third World solidarity was and is the most vital need for the less powerful members of the international community. Sri Lanka's current experiences bear this out fully. If the Non-aligned Movement could get its act together once again, the powerful of the world would not be taking any liberties with this country, as it is doing at present.

Thus, it is most advisable for countries such as Sri Lanka to strengthen her ties with her friends in the world community and to ensure that these good relations endure into the future. As time has proved, China is one such friend and it could be said that President Rajapaksa's visit to China is both in her national interest and timely. It is only Third World solidarity that could neutralize the overbearing political clout of the big powers of the West.

However, even the most basic economic considerations strengthen the case for keeping our good relations with friends, such as, India and China going strong. It is now quite well known that the economic growth epicenter of the world is in East Asia. No more are Western Europe and Northern America the frontrunners in economic growth. It is in East Asia that the most dynamic trends in economic growth are emerging and plain business sense dictates that developing countries cultivate increasingly close ties with these bourgeoning economic power houses of the world.

In fact, very soon no country will be untouched by China's economic prowess. This observation is based on the reality that the bulk of China's GDP is based on foreign trade and we would not be exaggerating by stating that almost every country interacts on the economic plane with China; reputedly the world's fasting growing economy. Over the past few years, China has expanded her investment ties with Sri Lanka and the latter would be acting sensibly by ensuring that these ties are further developed.

However, the time is also ripe for the developing countries to get together again for the purpose of consolidating the political clout of the less powerful of the world. The developing world needs to consider that it has rendered itself weak over the decades by not keeping the banner of Non-alignment flying high. Somehow, in the scramble to make most out of economic liberalization worldwide, the poor of the world have neglected their most pressing political needs. The challenges posed to Sri Lanka currently, by sections of the West, underscore the need for the Non-aligned Movement to stir itself into action once again.

In the days ahead, NAM should figure out ways of holding the most powerful of the world accountable for the ways in which they abuse their political clout. This is happening in the case of Sri Lanka and NAM could no longer be smugly complacent that all will be well for the world's powerless and less privileged.