Asia-Africa summit puts relevance of Nam to test

But as leaders from both continents prepare to meet half a century on from the first Asia-Africa conference, which gave birth to the Non-Aligned Movement, (Nam) they face a struggle to revive lofty ideals that many participants have cast aside as they strive for a footing in a vastly different world.

Some 46 heads of state are due to gather this weekend in Jakarta and Bandung, the Java island city where Indonesia's founding president Sukarno convened the first Asia-Africa summit.

Ahead of the meeting, joint hosts Indonesia and South Africa have pushed the message that the summit will see a revival of the "Bandung spirit" as the two continents rebuild old bridges with new trade and friendship pacts.

It will be a tall order to recapture the non-aligned zeitgeist of 1955, when it seemed feasible to create an ideological blend of Asian and African nationalism acceptable to theocrats of the Middle East, capitalists from Japan and communists of China.

This is even more unlikely when considering side-issues that will dominate the 2005 meeting, such as a spat between Tokyo and Beijing, ostensibly over Japan's World War II aggression, but indicative of tensions over the race for a permanent UN Security Council seat.

Myriad other regional power struggles have been further complicated by a US-led war on terrorism that has targeted and involved several participants.

"The 50th anniversary of the Asia-Africa conference calls for deep introspection. We still need to weigh whether our destinies are really being decided at home or in Geneva or Washington," said Delhi-based political analyst Praful Bidawi.

Some observers are scornful of a gathering they see as little more than an exercise in well-meaning handshakes and empty promises that will fail to address real issues such as the spread of HIV-Aids in both continents.

"This is a meeting looking for a mission," said John Stremlau, director of the Johannesburg-based Centre for Africa's International Relations. "There are no strategic issues."

But others see strong forces at play beneath the hot air, with the summit likely to be showcase if not for inter-continental harmony, then for emerging economic powerhouses wanting to throw their weight and make new strategic pals.