Private sector to pursue deals at Business Summit

Private sector to pursue deals at Business Summit

Zakki P. Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The nation's private sector is looking forward to the upcoming
Asia Africa Business Summit, which is expected to boost trade
relations between the nations of the two continents, Indonesian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) chairman MS Hidayat said
on Wednesday.

"This summit will be the first ever to connect businesspeople
on the two continents.

"ASEAN countries, particularly Indonesia, could use the
opportunity to build closer relationships with Africa," Hidayat
said during joint press conference with Minister of Foreign
Affairs Hassan Wirayuda.

According to Hidayat, Southeast Asian countries were not
traditionally close in terms of trade relations with African
nations. However, he added that Malaysia and Japan had started to
intensify their economic relations with the continent.

"Businesspeople are expected to have one-on-one meetings with
their counterparts from certain countries during the event, not
only to build trade and investment relations, but also with
regard to the transfer of technology and movement of human
capital," Hidayat said.

Kadin will host the Business Summit, at which CEOs and
captains of industry from the two continents will meet and
explore business opportunities.

Kadin is looking forward to hosting the expected 500
participants.

Hidayat said that the summit was expected to result in an
Asia-Africa business forum, with regular meetings at least every
two years.

"The forum's aim is to help open up business opportunities
between countries from the two continents in the future," he
said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to open the
business summit on April 21 in Jakarta, and in the evening Kadin
will host a gala dinner in which China's President Hu Jintao is
scheduled to give the keynote speech.

Among the key speakers at the Business Summit will be South
African President Thabo M. Mbeki, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong and Japanese PM Junichiro
Koizumi.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Asia-Africa
Conference will be attended by delegations from 105 countries,
and as many as 56 heads of state and government have confirmed
their attendance so far.

Earlier, Hidayat said that on April 26, Kadin would also host
a special luncheon between China and Indonesia, at which a
Chinese delegation led by Hu would meet with about 1,000
Indonesians from various professions.

"He wants to meet not only local businessmen of Chinese
descent, but various Indonesian people from many groups. He wants
to build closer ties with Indonesia," Hidayat said.