Half-a-century ago, countries that were neither in the West’s orbit or the Communist camp decided to meet at the Indonesian city of Bandung to shape their own destiny, one that would be independent of both Moscow and Washington. It was the birth of the Non-Aligned Movement — although it was not quite as non-aligned as intended: Cuba and China managed to attend. In fact, the idea never quite managed to work in practice. The world remained dominated, politically and economically, by the superpowers. However, the end of the Cold War, the staggering economic growth of so many countries that once were dismissed by the West with barely disguised contempt as “Third World” or “undeveloped”, and the emergence of powerful regional blocks have revived something of the idea. There are now regular meetings of regional blocks to see how they can work together, economically and even politically, to their own advantage. There have been Arab-European, European-Asian summits — and last week saw the first Arab-Latin American summit, meeting in Brazil, involving 34 countries from the two regions.
It is in both sides’ interests to develop closer relations, particularly economic relations. The two may seem, at an initial glance, to have little in common but, in fact, have much to offer each other. Arab and Latin American economies are complementary. Latin America has developed high-tech skills and industries that will find ready markets in the Arab world as will its agricultural produce. But Latin America is also energy-hungry and a ready market for Arab oil and downstream petrochemicals. The two also have other common interests, not just a desire to see the elimination of the subsidies that allow European and American farmers to destroy the livelihoods of their counterparts elsewhere in the world. In an increasingly global economy, both want to avoid domination by the multinationals.
It may seem that last week’s summit was overconcerned with politics rather than economics, with a joint call on Israel to dismantle settlements, concern about US sanctions against Syria, a call for UN reform, and Arab support for Argentina’s position on the Falkland Islands. But such political emphasis is only to be expected. These were expressions of mutual empathy — and without empathy there is little chance of building strong ties.
Developing business relations between the Arab world and South America will provide an invaluable balance to both regions’ overdependence on Europe, the US and Japan for imports and expertise. A couple of years ago, Saudi economists proposed that the Kingdom develop new economic partnerships in place of those with existing traditional partners in Europe, the US and the Far East. One of the suggestions was Brazil, seen as an economic powerhouse of the future. Clearly the idea has taken root.
Neither that suggestion, nor the summit means that Arab states are going to turn their backs on existing partners. They will not. This summit is about spreading the opportunities, minimizing the risks. It makes sound political and economic sense.
