Asian, African summit agrees on fields of cooperation<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Asian-African Summit concluded on Saturday, with leaders
\nadopting a new strategic partnership that will bind them to work
\ntogether in addressing poverty and underdevelopment, the major
\nproblems plaguing the two continents.<\/p>\n
Inspired by the Dec. 26 tsunami that swept across the Indian
\nOcean, the leaders also adopted a joint statement on natural
\ndisasters which spells out their determination to establish an
\nearly warning system, a standby arrangement for disaster relief and
\nemergency response, networks for information exchange, the
\nestablishment of research centers, and strategies to reduce the
\nrisk and impact of disasters.<\/p>\n
Dubbed \"the ticket to a brighter future\" for Asian and African
\nnations, the partnership highlights political solidarity,
\neconomic cooperation and socio-cultural relations between the
\nstates.<\/p>\n
\"Through this partnership, we will create in the years ahead a
\nlegacy of socioeconomic and cultural development for future
\ngenerations of Asians and Africans,\" President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono, the co-chair of the summit, told a press conference
\nthat summed up the two-day summit, the first since the Bandung
\nmeeting 50 years ago.<\/p>\n
To make it operational, the Asian and African foreign
\nministers also adopted on Saturday a joint statement that spells
\nout in greater detail the shape of the new partnership, including
\nresolving debt issues, capital market cooperation, improving
\nmarket access, striving to provide voluntary non-reciprocal
\nmarket access to Asian-African Least Developed Countries.<\/p>\n
In the political field, the countries said they wanted to see
\nreform of the United Nations so as to uphold multilateralism and
\nensure greater participation by Asian and African countries in
\nits decision-making process, and gave their support to the
\npeaceful settlement of the Palestine question and lasting peace
\nin the Middle East.<\/p>\n
Socio-cultural cooperation will cover efforts to enhance
\ninterfaith dialog, advance gender equality, develop the role of
\nthe media and eradicate HIV\/AIDS and other communicable diseases.<\/p>\n
The two continents account for over three quarters of the
\nworld's population, but have so far been struggling to fight
\npoverty and lack of access to health care and education among
\ntheir peoples.<\/p>\n
Of 106 nations invited to the historic summit, only 89 were
\nrepresented by their heads of state\/government or ministers.<\/p>\n
The leaders will formally sign the declaration on the
\nstrategic partnership on Sunday during the commemorative summit
\nto mark the golden jubilee of the Bandung conference.<\/p>\n
In order to keep their solidarity alive, the leaders agreed to
\nhold a summit every four years, with the next one being hosted
\nby South Africa, which also co-hosted the just-concluded summit.<\/p>\n
In response to the strategic partnership, the United Kingdom,
\nwhich chairs the G8 group of developed countries, said it was
\ncalling for more and better aid for Africa to promote greater
\nopportunities and faster economic growth, fairer trade rules and
\ndebt relief.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asian-african-summit-agrees-on-fields-of-cooperation-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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