Bandung Conference was the first encounter between Asian and African countries that had gained independence from the western colonies. President of Indonesia Suharto invited the leaders from developing countries to Bandung, leading to a declaration on anti-imperialism and peaceful coexistence. It was hoped to unite emerging nations through collaboration in reducing their reliance on Europe and America.
The conference aimed to promote Afro-Asian economic cultural cooperation and reject neocolonialism. The fundamental principles of the meeting were to respect territorial integrity and sovereignty, refrain from the use of power, have peaceful ways of settling disputes, and non-interference among the states. This nonaligned movement was founded to keep members from taking a side in Cold War politics, creating a solid rebellion. The outcome of the Bandung conference was that most of the Southeast Asian nations joined the agreement leading to the end of the Cold War. In addition, the Afro-Asian countries gained the opportunity to have a voice in world affairs, such as the representation of the Global South. The freedom to join the USA and the USSR Camp by the developing countries was achieved through the Bandung Conference (Lewis and Stolte, 2019). Although the movement aimed at discouraging members from participating in the War politics of the superpowers, most of the South and Southeast Asian countries were dragged into the Cold War
In conclusion, the Afro-Asian conference, which represented twenty-nine nations from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, condemned colonialism, racism, and the growing Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. The agreement was key towards protecting more nations from supporting the war. The core aim was political self-determination and mutual respect for sovereignty. This gave developing nations power in future politics outside the Cold War.
Reference
Lewis, S. L., & Stolte, C. (2019). Other Bandung’s: Afro-Asian internationalism in the early cold war. Journal of World History. Web.