Ministerial NAM conference begins in Algiers

The 17th ministerial conference for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) began here Wednesday with the participation of representatives from 60 nations including Kuwait. On behalf of the Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said in the opening speech that NAM seeks means to bolster cooperation amongst members to face "global political and economic challenges". He indicated that the rise of terrorism threatens the stability of nations; therefore, cooperation within the counterterrorism sphere was a must. Sellal also noted that more work was needed to counter the trafficking of narcotics, saying that it was the duty of every nation to battle this evil. (NAM) is a group of states which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. As of 2012, the movement has 120 members and 17 observer countries