Delegations commit to business networks<\/p>\n
Zakki P. Hakim and Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Representatives of businesses participating in the Asia-Africa
\nBusiness Summit signed a joint declaration on Friday aimed at,
\namong other things, promoting economic and technical cooperation
\nand business networking among the participants.<\/p>\n
The joint declaration on \"Enhancing Cooperation for Progress
\nbetween Asia-Africa Business Community\" was signed by 15
\nbusinessmen representing their respective countries on the two
\ncontinents.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) vice
\nchairman John A. Prasetio told reporters that the joint
\ndeclaration would be presented to the leaders of the two
\ncontinents at the Asian-African Summit on Saturday to be adopted
\nlater in the day.<\/p>\n
\"We have proposed that the private sector will commit to
\nimplementing the joint declaration, as long as the governments of
\nAsia-Africa take responsibility for ensuing sustained momentum,\"
\nhe explained.<\/p>\n
He said that private sector's commitment would not be enough
\nto bring about an economic relationship between the two
\ncontinents without support from governments.<\/p>\n
John said that in reviving the Bandung Spirit in the economic
\ncooperation field, the private sector recommended that the
\nnations of the two continents first enhance exchanges of
\ninformation, set up a working group to identify feasible areas
\nfor economic cooperation and harmonize policies between countries
\nto smooth trade and investment.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Kadin chairman Mohamad S. Hidayat said the Business
\nSummit was aimed more at familiarizing the private sectors of the
\nparticipating countries with each other. After that, it would
\ndepend on the political will of each government to facilitate its
\nprivate sector in pursuing trade between the two continents.<\/p>\n
The Business Summit, organized by Kadin, was attended by 768
\nCEOs and business leaders from 24 Asian and African countries.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the signatories were the representatives of
\nchambers of commerce from Brunei, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia,
\nJapan, Mozambique, the Philippines, Singapore, Somalia, South
\nAfrica, South Korea, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n
John said that other countries would follow suit in signing
\nthe joint declaration.<\/p>\n
John said that the delegates at the Business Summit had
\nrecommended that nations organize an Asia Africa business
\nconference every two years, which should include the public and
\nprivate sectors, as well as academics, so as to intensify future
\ncooperation and enhance trade and investment opportunities in
\nAsia-Africa.<\/p>\n
It was proposed that the next meeting be held in Cairo in
\n2007.<\/p>\n
SIDEBAR...<\/p>\n
The delegates to the Asia-Africa Business Summit recommend the
\nfollowing common strategies and commit to work in cooperation
\nwith their governments on implementation of these strategies:<\/p>\n
1. Strengthen the commitment to promote South-South Cooperation
\namong countries in Asia and Africa on the basis of equality and
\nmutual benefit.<\/p>\n
2. Take real measures to increase direct trade between Asia and
\nAfrica and scrutinize the prospects and challenges of an Asian-
\nAfrican business partnership and networking, including to take
\ninitiatives necessary to address those challenges.<\/p>\n
3. Exchange information and share experiences on best practices,
\ncompetitiveness, development issues, business and investment
\npotentials, such as through establishing an Asia-Africa business
\ncenters.<\/p>\n
4. Set up a working group to identify viable areas of economic
\ncooperation and harmonize policies to support closer
\ncollaboration of our respective regions.<\/p>\n
5. Focus cooperation on investment promotion, product quality,
\nmarketing and skills development in important and basic sectors
\nlike tourism, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and
\ninformation technology.<\/p>\n
6. Strengthen commitment to multilateralism and cooperation in
\ninternational fora, such as the World Trade Organization, to
\nensure greater benefits of globalization that are equitably
\ndistributed and will serve to improve the quality of life of all
\npeoples.<\/p>\n
7. Give high priority to facilitating increased public and
\nprivate sector investment in regional infrastructure and
\ndevelop efficient road, rail, sea and air transportation and
\ntelecommunications systems to facilitate greater movement of
\ngoods and people.<\/p>\n
8. Promote cooperation in human resources development, through
\ntraining and capacity building programs, strengthening of
\ninstitutions, and entrepreneurship development, especially for
\nsmall and medium enterprises.<\/p>\n
9. Promote constructive dialogue and interaction with our
\ndevelopment partners, such as the G-8, the World Bank, the
\nEuropean Union, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank
\netc., to ensure that the urgent concerns of Asian African
\ncountries on matters such as poverty eradication, debt relief,
\nfinancing for development, disaster support continue to be
\nproperly addressed and supported.<\/p>\n
10. Foster collaboration between government and business to
\nimprove governance, transparency and bring about a fair and
\ncompetitive environment.<\/p>\n
11. Organize, every two years, an Asia Africa business conference
\nwhich shall include the public and business sectors as well as
\nacademics to intensify future cooperation and to enhance
\ngreater trade and investment opportunities in Asia-Africa.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/delegations-commit-to-business-networks-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}