Through AAC, Indonesia Leads International Cooperation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The 60th anniversary celebration of the Asian-African Conference (AAC) can serve as an opportunity for Indonesia to lead global development cooperation, particularly among the AAC members, according to an economic observer.

"Indonesia should seize the opportunity to utilize the 60th anniversary commemoration forum of AAC to lead the worlds development cooperation, particularly among the AAC member countries," Economic observer Professor Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana of the Business and Economic Faculty of the Padjajaran University stated on Friday.

She noted that the development could be carried out through the South-South Cooperation or through a triangular cooperation, which is cooperation between Indonesia and the developing countries facilitated by both multilateral and bilateral partnerships.

Armida pointed out that the cooperation agenda must be concrete and implementable such as the cooperation on infrastructure development.

Apart from infrastructure, the cooperation could also be related to various global forums that were formulating a development agenda.

"The next step is parallel cooperation, which is offering business opportunities," she said.

Armida stated that Indonesias influence was viewed as positive in the global forums, she said.

"Indonesia is now an emerging country and is respected by global forums. Its views are being heard," the professor added.

According to Armida, Indonesian presence in the world forum should also be increased, particularly its role in debates on regional and international issues.

Therefore, she expressed hope that the Indonesian government would be able to utilize the momentum to formulate a development agenda for the sake of reinforcing solidarity with the international world through various forms of cooperation.

In the meantime, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) stated that Indonesia will convey the need for a new global order and justice at the forum of the upcoming 60th anniversary celebrations of the Asian-African Conference (AAC) in Jakarta and Bandung.

"There must really be a strong message, especially about a new order of global balance and justice," President Jokowi noted during a limited meeting to discuss the preparations for the AAC 2015 at his office on Friday.

Present at the limited meeting were Minister/State Secretary Pratikno, Presidential Chief of Staff Luhut B. Pandjaitan who is the chairman for the National Committee of the AAC commemoration, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister A.M. Fachir, and several Presidential Chief of Staff officials.

The head of state noted that the speeches and welcoming address during the 60th anniversary celebrations of the AAC 2015 should not merely be something normative or ordinary.

"The speeches or messages should be strong and emphasize the importance of global balance and global justice," the president reiterated.

Earlier, on Thursday, President Jokowi oversaw several locations for the conference in Bandung and remarked that the preparations for the event were 96 percent complete.

ANTARA NEWS