THE Bandung Conference that took place 70 years ago in Indonesia in 1955 was a convening of 29 Asian and African states representing more than half the world`s population. The landmark event, organised by Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, was an effort by newly independent countries to discuss common issues, including political independence, economic development and cultural cooperation.

In the following decade, as decolonisation progressed, friction among the member states created major schisms, resulting in the postponement of the second Asian-African conference planned to be held in Algeria in November 1965.

Indonesia hosted the golden jubilee of the AsianAfrican meeting in 2005 to revive the spirit of Bandung. This resulted in the formation of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership that expanded the agenda from merely non-alignment and anti-colonialism to broader cooperation under the banner of NAASP, with activities ranging from diplomatic training and technical cooperation to business forums.

While neither Bandung nor NAASP produced the desired results, the legacy of Bandung carries valuable lessons for peaceful coexistence. The core principles of solidarity, cooperation and mutual respect provide guidelines for addressing growing geopolitical tensions, deepening socioeconomic divisions and a roadmap for coping with a r apidly warming planet.

Looking at Bandung through the lens of climate change and the water security of South Asia can unlock many doors and help overcome barriers to tackling common challenges. As water, both in its frozen and unfrozen state (cryosphere and rivers), is critical for survival, it calls for a historical moment of reflection to look back in time at the vision of the then newly formed states and their engagement policy.

How can we use the spirit of Bandung to reignite our imagination and spur us to align our challenges with solutions that are anchored in, and reflective of, the ethos of Bandung? Solidarity and collective action: Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh share transboundary rivers (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra). As rivers have no borders, it is important to take collective action to ensure equitable and sustainable water distribution. The Bandung spirit of solidarity can be translated into collaborative water management with countries working together to address shared water challenges such as waterscarcity, pollution and climate-induced floods, droughts and disasters.

Non-interference and sovereignty: Respecting the sovereign right of nations while also recognising the importance of interdependence among neighbouring countries is the hallmark of a successful foreign policy. Countries in South Asia need to renew their pledge to the Bandung Declaration and recognise that rivers are shared resources that require cooperative governance.

Peace and diplomacy: Bandung underscored the importance of peaceful coexistence and diplomacy in addressing complex and contentious issues. Water security in South Asia, particularly the management of cross-border river basins, requires a diplomatic approach to avoid conflicts and tensions. Regular diplomatic dialogues and negotiations modelled on the Bandung spirit could lead to long-term agreements that ensure water security for all countries and prevent theweaponisation of water in times of crisis.

Development and capacity building: One of the key pillars of Bandung was reflected in its emphasis on the need for economic development and capacity building to achieve self-reliance. In the context of water security, South Asian countries need to invest in sustainable water infrastructure for water storage, irrigation, treatment and conservation. Regional initiatives to build shared technical expertise, data-sharing platforms, and joint projects can help improve water management, reduce wastage, and optimise water use, particularly in the agriculture and industrial sectors.

Multilateral water governance institutions: Inspired by Bandung`s principles of collaboration, South Asia can use it as an entry point for promoting hydro-solidarity and examine options for creating new and strengthening existing water governance mechanisms for collective decision-making.Regional water-sharing framework: Changes in hydrology due to global warming and demand outstripping supply make water the foremost challenge for the South Asian region. Stand-alone approaches in water management will remain woefully inadequate to address the looming crises of floods and droughts. Building on the Bandung spirit to renew and enhance existing water-sharing agreements with a focus on equity and sustainability will contribute to peace.

Countries can also develop new agreements for rivers where cooperation has been minimal. A regional framework could provide clear protocols for equitable water distribution, pollution control and addressing the impacts of climate change.

People to people connections: One of the successes of Bandung was the promotion of cultural exchanges and fostering ties between people. In the context of water security, cross-border water dialogues and shared environmental education programmes could help in de-escalating tensions through joint projects made scalable with international climate finance to support larger national and regional agreements.

Research and innovation: Building on the principles of the Bandung Conference, South Asian nations can establish joint technical and research initiatives focused on sustainable water management technologies, climate change impacts on water resources and innovative water-saving solutions.

Knowledge and experience sharing: Bandung was built on the shared experience of nations with a history of colonialism and a vision for peace and prosperity. With the world once again in turmoil, it is now not only appropriate but imperative to revive the spirit of Bandung to pave the way for a fair future.

Climate adaptation and resilience: Climate change and water security are two ends of a common threat. Both need to be addressed collectively to reduce water stress and foster partnerships to promote resilience.

In the shifting sands of global power dynamics, moral leadership from the margins as envisaged in Bandung is urgently needed. This is the time to converge the moral mandates of the Bandung Declaration with the Paris Agreement to craft a shared vision ofjustice and survival.m The writer is chief executive of the Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change.

aisha @csccc.org. pk