Juvenal Quicassa
Africa-Press – Angola. In the hottest years of the Cold War, when the world was divided between the United States and the Soviet Union, many African, Asian and Latin American countries sought a third way: neutrality.
It was in this spirit that the Non-Aligned Movement was born, with leaders such as Nasser, Nehru, Tito and Nkrumah defending the sovereignty of their states, cooperation between peoples and the refusal to be mere pawns in the hands of the great powers.
However, with the end of the Cold War, the non-alignment project seemed to have lost ground, having been established within the logic of bipolarity that existed in the international system. Thus, at the end of this bipolarity, that is, in the 1990s, the international system was dominated by American influence and the discourse of a unipolar world, where there was no alternative but to follow the Western tide. But today, a possible change of course is evident. The current international system has once again experienced heated competition, this time between the United States and China, with Russia and other actors further confounding the situation. This return to great-power rivalry is paving the way for countries in the so-called Global South to once again seek their own position, without falling into the trap of being anyone’s satellite, which ultimately leads to a possible new Non-Aligned Movement.
The new “non-alignment”
The difference we can draw from the old and new non-aligned movements, however, is that today’s non-alignment is not so much an ideological project or one of anti-colonial solidarity, as it was in the 1960s and 1970s. What we see today is the pragmatism of certain countries, which evoke their own interests far from an announced alignment in the face of the dispute between the current great powers.
India, for example, cooperates militarily with the United States in the Indo-Pacific, but at the same time continues to buy cheap oil from Russia and actively participates in the BRICS. Brazil, another prime example, maintains one foot in the West and the other in the Global South, playing on the rhetoric of autonomy. African countries, including Angola, know they cannot afford to bet all their chips on a single partner: they receive Chinese investment in roads and ports, rely on the IMF for financial support, do business with Western companies, but also open up space for Russia, Turkey, and the countries of the Persian Gulf region.
This multifaceted approach isn’t inconsistent, but we can view it as a way to survive and thrive in a world where interests intersect. The same can be clearly seen in the Middle East, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE, historic US allies, are currently conducting oil and technology deals with China while simultaneously resuming diplomatic relations with Iran. In other words, it’s no longer a case of pure and simple non-alignment, but rather a multifaceted approach, in which each country seeks to balance itself as best it can, seizing opportunities without becoming trapped.
Challenges and opportunities for Africa
For African countries, this scenario opens up space for greater prominence. Countries like Angola, Nigeria, South Africa—and we can also mention Ethiopia—can negotiate with multiple powers and thus increase their influence in global decisions. But it’s important to consider some risks that may arise from this move: the more diverse the partners, the greater the vulnerability to unpayable debts, external pressures, or technological dependence. The danger is that, rather than liberating, this pragmatic non-alignment could end up creating a new form of dependence, now shared among several masters.
Still, as we have seen, the Global South has shown that it can gain a voice of its own. The African Union’s entry into the G20, the expansion of the BRICS, and the constant Africa-China, Africa-US, and Africa-European Union summits reveal that the continent is increasingly a space of dispute and courtship. Amidst all this, the position is not that of a mere spectator: it is that of those who can negotiate, demand compensation, and fight for a more dignified place in the international system.
This time, we are not witnessing a simple return to the old Cold War non-alignment. What is emerging now is an active and pragmatic non-alignment, where political survival and economic development take precedence over closed ideologies. It is, in fact, a way of playing the global game without losing autonomy, without falling prey to the siren song of any power. The big question is whether African countries will be able to transform this position of “neutrality” into a true negotiating force, or whether they will continue to merely waver as the great powers’ winds blow.
Specialist in International Relations
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