A dummy's guide to the Asian-African Summit

A dummy's guide to the Asian-African Summit

Indonesia hosts one of the biggest gatherings of world leaders
outside of the United Nations. Below is a quick guide to the
conference that will bring together leaders and senior officials
from 106 countries.

FROM BANDUNG 1955 TO JAKARTA 2005

The 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung, West Java, was a
landmark meeting where the Third World sought to assert itself
for the first time.

One aim of this week's meetings is to commemorate the
conference in Bandung 50 years ago, the first world summit that
gathered former colonized Asian and African nations. A total of
29 countries attended that event, which led to the creation of
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961.

The Summit in Jakarta is an opportunity to close a gap in
global relations and boost economic and trade ties between the
two continents, building on the "Bandung spirit" of solidarity by
creating something tangible.

THE MEETINGS
Foreign ministers will meet today in Jakarta, with their
countries' leaders gathering on Friday and Saturday this week.
The leaders will take a nostalgic trip to Bandung on Sunday.

WHO IS COMING?
More than 106 nations will send representatives, including
observers from countries such as the United States and Russia.
Around 60 heads of government are expected. Other notable
attendees include UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

A FEW FACTS ON ASIA AND AFRICA
Asia dwarfs Africa in population and economic size.
Africa is home to approximately 850 million people, compared to
the Asian population east of Afghanistan of around 3.5 billion.
Africa's gross domestic product in 2004 was US$633 billion.
eastern Asia's GDP's was nearly $9 trillion.

SURVIVORS OF THE ORIGINAL CONFERENCE?
Only one, Cambodia's retired King Norodom Sihanouk, who attended
as a youthful 32-year-old leader. Indonesia has said it wanted to
invite the now ailing Sihanouk to attend the summit, but he
declined to meet with representatives from Jakarta. --Reuters/JP