Senator Sherry Rehman Calls for Revival of Bandung Spirit to Meet Global Challenges
Senator Sherry Rehman calls for revival of Bandung spirit during PIIA conference, urging Global South nations to unite for climate justice, economic equity, and multilateralism.
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Date: April 26, 2025
Reporter: Imtiaz Ali Abbasi, Chief Reporter Islamabad
Posted by: Watts News, The Largest English Digital News Network Pakistan
Keynote Address at PIIA Conference Highlights Need for Renewed Global Solidarity
Vice President of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman, delivered a compelling keynote address at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA) conference today, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the historic Bandung Conference under the theme “Seventy Years After Bandung: The Struggle Continues.”
Reflecting on the Bandung Conference’s lasting impact, Senator Rehman stated, “Pakistan is proud to have stood at Bandung’s birth—and remains committed to its spirit 70 years on.” She emphasized how in 1955, leaders from 29 newly independent Asian and African nations representing over half of the world’s population gathered to reject colonialism and racial hierarchies.
She remarked, “Bandung allowed half the world’s population to dream of a post-colonial future—where sovereignty was coupled with moral purpose. Pakistan had a founding member’s role, with Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Bogra standing alongside Sukarno, Nasser, and Nehru to call for a new global order free from imperial arrogance.”
Warning Against Erosion of Multilateralism and Rising Global Challenges
Addressing contemporary issues, Senator Rehman warned that the spirit of Bandung is under threat, stating, “Today, we head into what could be a deeply divisive post-liberal future. Populisms and protectionisms are dismantling the fragile multilateral consensus that Bandung helped inspire.” She cited Gaza and Kashmir as tragic examples of selective justice undermining the international rules-based order.
Focusing on climate injustice, she highlighted that while some progress was achieved with the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund at COP27, global priorities remain skewed. “$7 trillion are still being used to subsidize fossil fuels globally, while the nations least responsible for climate change, like Small Island States, face existential threats,” she said, reminding the audience that “1/3rd of Pakistan was submerged during the 2022 floods despite contributing less than 1% of global emissions.”
On economic inequality, Senator Rehman pointed out stark disparities: “The richest 1% of the world’s population controls nearly 50% of its wealth, while over 700 million people still live in extreme poverty.” She added that 60% of low-income countries are either in or at high risk of debt distress according to the World Bank.
Criticism of India’s Actions and Call for Renewed Cooperation
Senator Rehman also criticized India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, terming it “a dangerous violation of the international rules-based order.” She said, “India’s actions threaten to dismantle one of South Asia’s most important frameworks for water cooperation, and resurrect the coercive practices Bandung fought to end.”
Highlighting the growing trust deficit between Pakistan and India, she added, “Instead of working together on climate challenges and nuclear risk reduction, India’s unilateralism ensures that strategic escalation and xenophobia replace rational diplomacy.”
Reaffirming Pakistan’s Commitment to Bandung Spirit
Concluding her address, Senator Rehman reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to Bandung’s ideals: “Pakistan calls on all Global South nations to speak in one voice—for climate justice, economic equity, and a multilateralism that delivers.” She invoked the words of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah: “Unity, Faith, Discipline are the building blocks of strength. Let us apply those not just to our nations, but to our shared future.”
“Together, let us ensure that Bandung lives not only in memory, but in action.”
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