ASEC



The Association for Security and Economic Development (ASED) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks economic, political, security, military, educational, and socio-cultural cooperation and integration of countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc of the Cold War.

The ASED was founded and held its first conference (the Belgrade Conference) in 1961 under the leadership of Arthur Von Roa of Neralia, Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Jawaharlal Nehru of India and Modibo Keita of the Mali Federation.

The main objective of the ASED is the sufficiency of the needs that each country has, whether economic, humanitarian or military, through intensive and preferential trade with the states that make up the organization, thus avoiding falling under the economic influence of the two Major Blocs of the Cold War. They endeavour to accomplish this with two main plans: first, diversifying and fulfilling the needs of their economies, with developing countries selling raw materials to the respective developed countries that trade them factories, machinery, services and manufacturing. And second, cooperating in the military and security aspect, since these states would have lessened military aid from other countries due to their disaffiliation with the two major blocs.

ASED would have a key role in the avoidance of an American invasion of the Middle East during the Cold War and serving as a swing vote in international affairs.

Some of the Nations such as Gabon, Mali and North Borneo traded exclusively with countries in the organization, while others would have a more open economy towards non-members like the cases of Yugoslavia, Neralia, Morocco, India and Finland, and others would open their markets preferably to one Bloc in specific, like the Arab members with the Eastern Bloc or Trinidad and Tobago and the New Hebrides with NATO.

There was the inclusion of associate members who were not fully part of the organization, so were the of Argentina, Libya and South Africa; Brazil was also a partial member until its withdrawal in 1964. These partial members do not get most of the aid and benefits full members would, but would not require to trade as much necessary with the members and they would not need to send military aid to members in conflicts.

Observer states would include Cuba, France, Ireland, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Tanzania and Venezuela.