The aspiration and strategies of Asian and African countries

Han Sung-Joo, Jakarta

Even though most of us, Asian and African countries are still trying to catch up with what we used to call the "First World" in the economic area, we can see so much has changed between the first and second Asian-African Summit, 50 years apart, in the tenet, purpose and rationale of the two meetings.

The representative slogans of the first meeting were anti- imperialism and non-alignment. Today, the corresponding slogans are development and cooperation. Ideology, especially anti- colonialism was an important element of the gathering in Bandung.

Today, the catch words are human security and shared prosperity. In short, the leaders got together in 1955 against something or some things, whereas this year their successors meet in the name and for the purpose for something and some things.

This is significant as indeed the world is facing problems more complicated and intractable than it did 50 years ago.

First the task of eradicating poverty and bringing about prosperity remains as serious and urgent, especially in Africa.

Second, we have global problems of terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Terrorism, in itself, is dangerous and serious enough, but combined, they can result in catastrophic consequences, anywhere in the world, developed or less developed, North or South, West or East.

Third, we have growing human security crises, what with environmental degradation resource depletion, contagious diseases, drugs, human trafficking, and human rights violations. From Cambodia in the 1970s, to Rwanda in the 1990s, and Darfur today, genocide and ethnic cleansing brings about the dilemma and conflict between human or individual sovereignty and state sovereignty.

The world is facing all these problems as it has undergone and is still undergoing changes -- changes of such fundamental nature that they present unprecedented challenges and opportunities. We should recognize the challenges and grab the opportunities.

First, the world is increasingly being globalised. As the problems, whether they are terrorism, HIV, environment, or finance, are being globalised, the answers can be found in only global responses.

Second, even as the world is being globalised, regional groupings are becoming increasingly more important. The European Union, either with or without a new constitution, is an accomplished fact. North America's Free Trade Area, NAFTA, is expanding toward South, encompassing the Southern half the hemisphere. East Asia is, slowly but steadily, moving towards a community, with plans to hold the first East Asian Summit in December this year. FTAs are being negotiated and agreed upon, supplanting and complementing WTO arrangements.

Third, the world is being democratized, both domestically and internationally. More and more countries, including our host country Indonesia, are becoming fully democratic, with free elections, liberal press and active NGOs.

International organizations are becoming more democratic, the most recent evidence being the momentum to reform the United Nations.

Fourth, global relations are becoming increasingly more multilateralised. Globalization and regionalization require multilateral negotiations, agreements and cooperation. Even as unilateralism is still very much present in global politics, and bilateralism still an important feature of international affairs, multilateralism is rapidly and steadily becoming the mainstay of global relations.

Finally, international relations is being diversified. By this, I mean the role of NGOs, the civil groups and research institutes, educational institutions and religious organizations is becoming more and more important. Just as importantly, if not more so, businessmen/women and business organizations establish, expand or curtail relations. They trade, they invest, they negotiate, they make networks and they contribute to expansion of economic relations and economic development and growth.

The Asia-African Forum, held in Bandung in 1994, identified several areas of cooperation focus between Asia and Africa, they include: Human resources and international development; Enhancing productivity in agricultural center; Financing development; Mobilizing domestic and international resources; Private sector development; Promoting Asian investment in Asia; Trade development; Managing African debt crisis and building Asian- African networks.

All this is fine. But two points should be added. Indeed, two points that need to be emphasized if the cooperation in those special areas of focus are to be successful.

The first point is that the private sector cooperation should be emphasized. Governments come and go and may pursue their policy objectives, sometimes for the publicly proclaimed purposes, and sometimes for other reasons. Private sector acts and moves on the basis of perceived interest which tends to be longer lasting and less changeable. Obviously, the private sector cannot replace governments, but its role is crucial and important.

The second point is that Asian-African cooperation cannot be successful unless we can also mobilize the support and participation of and networking with non-Asian-African countries. Especially, the United States will be helpful in the security area, Europe in the economic area, and both in the human security areas.

Meetings, agendas, and moving speeches are fine, but ultimately, what we need are concrete actions and steps in specific areas. This should be done in cooperation with the countries and regions with the abilities, means, interests as well as states for such cooperation.

Ultimately, the rationale for Asia-Africa cooperation, now known as NAASP (New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership) is not anti-colonialism, poverty or non-alignment as it used to be.

As the regions of the world form networks, between Asia and Europe with ASEM, America and Europe with NATO, Asia and America with APEC, Asia and Africa cannot be left out. They need to fill the missing link, for joint prosperity, peace and progress in cooperation with the rest of the world.

Prof. Han Sung-Joo presented this paper during a seminar held by The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. He is the President of Ilmin International Institute, Korea University and also former minister of foreign affairs of South Korea.