By Shanker Man Singh  Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal going to Uganda to participate in the 19th Summit of the Member States of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). PM Dahal is leading the Nepalese delegation at the NAM summit in Uganda's capital, Kampala, on January 19 and 20. Similarly, Foreign Minister NP Saud will participate in the Foreign Ministers' meeting of NAM Members in Kampala on 17-18 and the Foreign Secretary will participate in the Officials' Meeting on January 15-16. NAM is relevant for Nepal. Nepal has been a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) since 1961. The movement was founded during the Cold War and aims to represent the interests and priorities of developing countries. NAM provides a platform for Nepal to engage in multilateral diplomacy and address global issues from a non-aligned perspective. NAM first came when the world's major powers aligned themselves into capitalist or socialist factions after World War II, a fact we all know, the United States and the Soviet Union, with their respective poles, gave birth to one. By the time of the Cold War, countries like China and India were not as strong militarily, economically, and hegemonic as they are today (although both countries sided with the Soviet Union), so they planned to remain neutral but at the same time were unable to defeat their rivals through war. There was clearly an alliance of those nations that could lose their sovereignty if they did. As a result, in 1955, the cornerstone of the Bandung Conference was established in the city of Indonesia. Leaders representing 29 different countries in Afro-Asia joined to give birth to the new movement, which was neither for nor against any country. Nepal played an active role in NAM since its inception in 1961. Nepal was one of the founding members of the movement and played an important role in shaping its policies and principles. Nepal strongly advocated for the principles of NAM which promote peace, freedom, and self-determination for all nations. Nepal believed that these principles were important for promoting global cooperation and stability. Nepal hosted the 11th NAM Summit in Kathmandu in 1983. The summit was an important event for the NAM, as it brought together leaders from more than 100 countries to discuss issues related to peace, disarmament, and development. Nepal has contributed to various NAM initiatives, including the NAM Center for South-South Cooperation, which promotes cooperation among developing countries. Nepal has also supported the efforts of NAM to promote disarmament and nuclear control. Nepal has supported NAM's stance on various international issues including the need for a just and equitable world economic order, promotion of human rights, and peaceful resolution of conflicts. Nepal being a least-developed country has played an active role in advocating the interests of the Global South within NAM. Nepal has emphasized the importance of economic development, debt relief, and the transfer of technology and knowledge from developed to developing countries. Nepal has played an important role in promoting regional cooperation within the NAM. Nepal is a member state of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and thus has played an important role in promoting regional cooperation among the SAARC countries. However, for a couple of years, the SAARC is dysfunctional. Nepal also contributed to NAM's efforts to promote cultural exchange and understanding among nations. Various NAM programs showcased Nepal's rich cultural heritage and traditions, helping to promote inter-cultural understanding and appreciation. NAM's relevant: Some experts say NAM is still relevant; others say it needs to be reconsidered because of the rapid changes in the geopolitical order in recent decades. Non-alignment, balance, and peaceful determination are in the lineage of the Nepali people and some political parties have used foreign policy as a tool to maintain power and it seems to be included in the foreign policy of Nepal. Nepal should not deviate from our foreign policy in the name of helping big powers. Some people have understood, and some facts have compromised our original foreign policy and bent towards a particular power. But we must remain committed to the policy of non-alignment. Nepal needs to build a national consensus to benefit from emerging powers like India and China. What are the benefits of MCC, or BRI, or North-South road? Both BRI and MCC should be seriously considered and taken care of. In the changing global environment, the relevance of non-aligned movements has increased in recent times. In the context that Nepal is trying to create its own distinct identity in the world after a long transition, it is relevant for the Prime Minister to participate in the conference of the organization in which so many countries of the world are participating. The high-level participation in such conferences held at regular intervals not only improves and deepens relations with friendly countries, but also provides an opportunity for cooperation and exchange, it is also a good opportunity to inform the world about the struggles, achievements and future goals of Nepal and Nepalis. Now, it is wise for us to develop the thinking of "enemy’s friend, is our friend'' and move according to the situation. The world has become an interdependent global village. Yet, today we see a strong current of protectionism and narrow nationalism. At a time when the global community must unite to face the unprecedented challenges before us, the world today is one of discontent and division. In many parts of the world, the quest for peace and prosperity remains elusive. It has led to economic hardship, inflation, poverty, food insecurity and energy crises. There are serious concerns over the potential misuse of artificial intelligence, online platforms, digital technologies and virtual assets. Above all, trust in multilateralism is eroding, undermining the prospects for peace and sustainable development. Furthermore, the problems of transnational organized crime and terrorism threaten peace and stability in many parts of the world. Nepal has maintained that it strongly believes in the principle of non-aligned movement and the power of unity to face these challenges. Within NAM, Nepal's strong opinion that international cooperation should be promoted, South-South cooperation should be deepened and multilateralism at the center of the United Nations should be strengthened to solve global problems has been reflected. Nepal recognizes the United Nations as a cornerstone of multilateralism that promotes cooperation, resolves conflicts and advances global governance. NAM must contribute decisively to the UN to build a multilateral system that is fit for purpose and capable of delivering results for people who underline its values and principles worldwide. NAM should champion reform of these institutions to make them more inclusive, transparent and effective. Nepal attaches great importance to the time-tested principles of NAM. These principles are the foundations of our foreign policy. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.