Membership criteria, formulated during the preparatory conference of the Belgrade Summit ( held in Cairo, 1961), describes that the idea behind the movement is not to play a negative role in international politics but to draft positions in an independent manner so as to reflect the positions of its Member States.

Based on this, the basic objectives of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) focused on supporting the right of self-determination, national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of States; to oppose apartheid and not to align to multilateral military alliances. This is in addition to keeping the NAM states away from blocs and conflicts between the major powers, fighting against colonialism in all its forms, occupation, neo-colonialism, racism, occupation and foreign control, disarmament; non-interference in the internal affairs of States, coexistence of all nations, and rejection of threat or use of force in international relations as well as strengthening the United Nations, democratization of international relations, economic and social development, and restructuring of the global economic system besides equal international cooperation.