Asian-African partnership endorsed
Asian-African partnership endorsed
Dwi Atmanta and Adrian Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Ministers from Asia and Africa endorsed on Wednesday the draft of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP), which will serve as a framework for political solidarity, economic cooperation and sociocultural ties between the continents.
The draft declaration, scheduled to be signed by heads of state/government and representatives of countries during the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung on Sunday, commits the signatories to achieving their common goals of peace, prosperity and progress.
The declaration reaffirms the countries' adherence to the Ten Principles of the Bandung Conference adopted in 1955. It also calls for the recognition of diversity between and within regions, including social and economic systems and levels, the promotion of nonexclusive cooperation, a just, democratic, transparent, accountable and harmonious society, protection of human rights and the promotion of collective and unified efforts in multilateral fora.
Practical cooperation in areas such as trade, industry, investment, finance, tourism, energy, health, agriculture, water resources and fisheries is also emphasized in the new partnership framework.
Asian and African nations will also address common areas of concern like armed conflict, weapons of mass destruction, transnational crime and terrorism, which are fundamental to ensuring peace, stability and security.
The group is also determined to prevent conflict, resolve disputes by peaceful means and endeavor to explore confidence- building and dispute-resolution mechanisms, as well as mechanisms for post-conflict peace building.
To develop this partnership, a summit of heads of state/government will be held every four years, a meeting of foreign ministers every two years and sectoral ministerial and other technical meetings when necessary.
The nations also remain steadfast in their support for the Palestinian people and the creation of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
In his opening remarks, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said the implementation of the vision of the Bandung Spirit of 1955 was hindered by the absence of effective mechanisms for interregional cooperation.
Over the years, these are the aspects of the Bandung Spirit that we have not been commensurately served by, largely because we have not been able to develop an appropriate and effective mechanism for interregional cooperation, he said.
We have not formulated a "do-able" and concrete plan of action to address the many challenges we are facing, Hassan said.
South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma agreed, saying stakeholders in the two continents had to actively find concrete ways to strengthen their cooperation.
The responsibility of making our partnership successful and effective is collectively shared by us and all other stakeholders to ensure that we find innovative and concrete ways and means to strengthen cooperation between these two continents that have bequeathed to humanity such rich, ancient enduring civilizations, she said.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar viewed the new partnership as part of the historical evolution of South-South cooperation.
While we realize the importance that NAASP should complement and strengthen, rather than detract from, current initiatives on South-South cooperation, it can nevertheless add value to these initiatives by strengthening interregional cooperation among the countries of Asia and Africa, thus filling a lacuna that has existed for 50 years, he said.
He added that the new partnership should focus on certain sectors such as capacity building.
The NAASP can play a useful role in helping to forge a partnership geared toward capacity building, strengthening public infrastructure and government institutions and structures, through the exchange of experience, he said.