Asia, Africa on way to new strategic partnership

JAKARTA, Thursday (Xinhua) Nearly 90 ministers from Asia and Africa shared the view on Wednesday that a strategic partnership between the two continents will help promote peace and reduce poverty in their countries. The ministers concluded their one-day meeting in preparation for a historic Asian-African summit scheduled on April 22-23.

Such a partnership covers three areas of cooperation, namely in political solidarity, economic cooperation and socio-cultural relations, according to co-chairman of the meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda.

In the economic cooperation, ministers agreed to take steps to reduce poverty among the peoples of both continents and promote greater flows of direct Asian-African trade and investment, he said.

They are also determined to promote greater understanding of their diverse cultures by fostering more people-to-people contacts and promoting dialogue among civilizations cultures, he said. Another co-chairperson, South African Foreign Minister Dlamini Zuma told the meeting that Asians and Africans must cooperate to ensure a better world order and improve their welfare.

Underlining the traditional links between Asians and Africans, she said, "as countries of the South, we have to continue championing the cause of ensuring a more balanced and equitable global order where the development and advancement of the peoples of both our continents are prioritized."

The forthcoming Asian-African summit will be the second of the type following one held in Bandung, some 160 kilometers southeast of Jakarta, in 1955, when leaders from 29 countries in the two continents launched new guidelines for international relations to resist colonialism and hegemony and promote cooperation between them.

South Africa, together with Indonesia, initiated the idea of reinvigorating what has become known as the "Spirit of Bandung" to encourage cooperation between the two continents in 2002.

"The New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership (NAASP) is aimed at improving the welfare of both Asians and Africans and is underpinned by principles that recognize the equality of all nations, and promote respect for sovereignty and the right to self- determination," Zuma said.

"The NAASP centers on Asian and African ownership based on a common vision, an equal partnership, mutual respect and benefit," she said. "We have to act in solidarity in all areas using our combined strength to make our voices heard" when the chasm between the rich and poor is widening rather than narrowing, she pointed out.

Echoing Zuma's call for a fairer world order, Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar told the meeting that developing countries need to engage with the wider world, "but the terms of engagement must be favourable to us, and to our benefit." He hailed the new partnership as part of the historical evolution of South-South cooperation.

Meanwhile, the summit will provide a good opportunity for the United Nations to listen to Asian and African countries' ideas about its reform which has attracted much attention of the world community.