• සිරිමාවෝ බණ්ඩාරනායක

  • சிறிமாவோ பண்டாரநாயக்க

  • SIRIMAVO BANDARANAIKE

" The World's First Female Prime Minister "

08 – 10 September 1970 – Third Non Aligned Movement Summit in Lusaka

The third Non Aligned Movement Summit saw President Kenneth Kaunda take over leadership of the Non Aligned Movement from Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in Lusaka. Mrs Bandaranaike, leading the Ceylon delegation was firm in reiterating opposition to any form of pressure, economic or military from any power bloc. Addressing the Conference, she pointed out that “the small developing countries like mine which seek to follow a non-aligned policy are subjected to many pressures, threats and trials. But there is no question that non-alignment and friendship to all countries is the best policy for newly developing countries. The size of our own conference today proves that half of the world has come to understand and value non-alignment as a positive force in international politics.” Of significance at this Conference was Mrs Bandaranaike highlighting the need for Zones of Peace whereby land, territorial waters and air space of non-aligned countries would be closed to Great Power rivalries and conflicts. It was here that she argued that the Indian Ocean should be declared a Peace Zone.