A-A Summit to facilitate scores of bilateral meetings

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

When leaders of the Asian and African countries assemble later this month in Jakarta to attend the Asian-African Summit, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be the most sought-after leader, hosting scores of bilateral meetings with the heads of state/government on the sidelines of the summit.

The summit will also be a rare opportunity for meetings between friends as well as foes. A meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will draw media attention given the present tensions between the two countries.

Likewise, South Asian protagonists Indian Prime Minister and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Others sure to attract media attention will be Myanmar's Senior Gen. Than Shwe, Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, and North Korea's President of the Presidium of Supreme People's Assembly Kim Young-nam.

Director for African affairs at the foreign ministry, Bali Moniaga, said that the summit organizing committee had arranged 20 booths at the Jakarta Convention Center, where the summit will be held, for the conduct of bilateral talks.

"This is one of the important contributions of the summit. There will be series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines. Many leaders have asked us to facilitate their meetings," he said.

President Susilo is also scheduled to hold marathon bilateral talks with his counterparts from the two continents.

As of Friday, according to Bali, several heads of state/government from the two continents had submitted letters asking for bilateral talks with Susilo.

"We have so far received requests from about 30 leaders of the two continents for bilateral talks with President Susilo," Bali said without elaborating.

He said that decisions regarding bilateral talks would be made by the president's office.

Eighty-three countries and UN bodies, and six international organizations have confirmed their attendance at the two-day summit, which is scheduled to commence on April 22.

Of the 83 countries, 52 will be represented by heads of state/government, three by vice presidents and 26 countries by special envoy or ministers. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will also attend the summit.

In addition, the government has also invited leaders from non- Asian-African countries, namely the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand as observers at the summit.

The summit -- a commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference in 1955 in Bandung, West Java -- was initiated by Indonesia and South Africa.

The South African President Thabo Mbeki is slated to arrive in Jakarta on a state visit on April 19.

"We plan to sign a number of agreements during his visit (Mbeki) to Jakarta," he said.

Minister of Hassan Wirayuda reiterated that Indonesia has a big interest in African countries, especially in economic and trade sectors.

"Besides, it has 53 votes at the United Nations. Africa -- home to 800 million people -- is also a potential market for Indonesia," Hassan said in a speech read by secretary general Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat on Thursday.

He said that Indonesia's exports to African countries reached $1.2 billion in 2003, far lower than the other Asian countries of China, Malaysia and Thailand.

"Indonesia needs to energetically explore these new markets (in African countries)," he said.

He said that Indonesia had established diplomatic ties with 40 African countries and opened representative offices in 16 nations.

Not only Indonesia, but a number of other Asian countries have long enjoyed good partnerships with the African continent.

China established the so-called China-African Cooperation Conference Forum, Japan the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), while India set up a India-New Partnership for African Development Fund.

Data from the ministry showed that China is currently investing in 600 companies in the fields of industry, trade and agricultural in 49 countries in Africa.

India itself has some 43 investment projects in Egypt, while Asian countries such as South Korea and Malaysia are currently boosting their investment in Africa.