Asia-Africa Summit aims at new cooperation

JAKARTA, (Xinhua) After 50 years of suspension since the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung in April 1955, nearly 60 leaders of Asian-African countries are expected to gather here from next week to rebuild a bridge and structure for strengthening political and economic cooperation between the two continents.

Altogether with 105 countries, Asia and Africa have a total of 4.6 billion population, which is 70 percent of the world's total, and their land covers nearly half of the world total. Currently, the general domestic product (GDP) of the Asian and African countries stands around 9.3 trillion US dollars, which could harbor the largest potential market in the world.

Under the logo of "Reinvigorate the Bandung Spirit, Working Toward Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership," the Second Asia-Africa Summit was initiated by South Africa in November 2002 and has been warmly responded and welcomed by Indonesia and other Asian and African countries.

After a series of ministerial conferences and working sessions in Indonesia and South Africa in 2003 and 2004, major documents and principles have been worked out, paving the way for the Second Asia-Africa Summit in Jakarta and the Golden Jubilee of the Bandung Conference in its birthplace.

According to the preliminary agenda, the first sideline event will kick off on April 18, when a forum over promotion of renewable energy and an energy exhibition on the same topic would be held.

In a bid to enhance the role of women and youth, a workshop on strengthening Asian-African strategic cooperation in promoting the status and role of women and youth will take place on April 19 in Jakarta.

To promote the trade and investment sectors, a business summit and trade fair are also scheduled to be held from April 18 to April 22.

As the last preparations for the Asia-Africa Summit, the ministerial meeting is to be held on April 20, to finalize the documents that will be signed by the heads of state or government during the summit. These documents include a declaration on the Asian-African strategic partnership and an action program in implementation of the continental cooperation in the political, economic as well as social and cultural fields.

The Second Asia-Africa Summit is to be held in Jakarta on April 22 and 23, up to now some 56 heads of state/government have confirmed to attend and around 25 member countries of the Non- aligned Movement, mostly from Latin America, along with 20 sub- regional organizations and several donor countries as observers will participate in the summit.

The Golden Jubilee to mark the Bandung Conference will be held in Bandung of West Java province, some 160 kilometers southeast of Jakarta on April 24.

Outside the summit and sideline events, hundreds of activists from several NGOs are planning to have international conferences in a number of cities in the country.

Since last week, Jakarta has started to beef up security two weeks ahead of the second Asian-African Summit here and the 50th anniversary celebrations to mark the first Asia-Africa Bandong conference.

Nearly 25,000 security personnel from Jakarta police, the Indonesian Military Force (TNI) and municipal administration have been mobilized and deployed to safeguard the key places and public areas in the city with over 10 million population.

Except the terror bombing, the security authority are also anticipating other possible disturbances, such as sabotage of the city's power or food supply, illegal massive rallies and traffic jams in the downtown, where the summit and a series of events would take place.

The city police have arrested over 70 people in various raids in the past week in an effort to tighten security prior to the summit.