'Asian, African countries have no common objectives'<\/p>\n
Dozens of heads of state from Asia and Africa are attending the
\ntwo-day Asian-African Summit that started on Friday. The summit,
\nheld in conjunction with the jubilee of the 1955 Asia-Africa
\nConference in Bandung, aims to boost relations among the nations
\nof the two continents. How do Jakarta residents view the event?
\nThe Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on the
\nsummit.<\/p>\n
Azas Tigor Nainggolan, 40, is a public advocate and activist. He
\nlives in East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
When founding president Sukarno and other Asian and African
\nleaders organized the 1955 conference, they had a strong mutual
\ngoal, namely to strengthen the bargaining position of small and
\nnewly independent countries on the two continents.<\/p>\n
They were able to achieve the goal through their strong
\ndetermination, including the wish to free their countries from
\ncolonialists.<\/p>\n
But I do not see the significance of the current summit
\nbecause the countries do not have any common objectives. They
\nhave sharply different views on various international issues.<\/p>\n
Aprilinawati, 27, is a public relations consultant at a
\ncompany on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta. She lives in
\nCililitan, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
When I was in a junior high school, I liked history. I was
\nproud that Indonesia was able to organize such a huge conference.
\nI was inspired by heroic stories from history textbooks about
\nAsian and African countries fighting colonialism.<\/p>\n
The current summit is trying to revive the spirit of these
\nearlier Asian and African leaders.<\/p>\n
The countries participating in the summit are trying to
\nreunite, but I do not think they will be successful like in 1955
\nbecause each country now has its own interests.<\/p>\n
I do not think we can expect much from the summit because
\nthere are no common goals for these countries and I do not see
\nany concrete objectives for the meeting.<\/p>\n
If the countries are not able to strengthen their
\ncooperation, it is because the group is too large and they have
\ndivergent interests.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asian-african-countries-have-no-common-objectives-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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