Hanoi: The Non Aligned Movement (NAM) has to be reinvented to address the problems of the first decade of the 21st century, External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh said in Hanoi today (Oct 18, 2004).

"The international agenda has changed. Earlier there were issues like apartheid, decolonisation. But today the issues are terrorism, drugs, and environment. The NAM has to be reinvented to face these issues, to address the problems of the first decade of the 21st century," he said.

Singh is on a three-day official visit to Hanoi to attend the Joint Commission Meeting and the 50th anniversary celebrations of the historic meeting between Nehru and Ho Chi Minh.

The Movement has to come up with new ideas. It will always remain relevant, he stressed noting that even with the disappearance of WARSAW pact, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) still remained relevant.

The Vietnamese foreign minister, Nguyen Dy Nien, too was of the firm view that the Non Aligned Movement still was an important force.

"After the cold war many people thought NAM won't have a role to play anymore, but we later realised that non alignment can play an important role," he said.

"The NAM is revitalising again and the role of members like India is very, very important for the movement," he added.