Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Pahala N Mansury (right) told the media in Jakarta on Thursday (22 August 2024) that the African region is a strategic partner in the pursuit of mutually beneficial economic development. Indonesia will host the second IAF from 1 to 3 September 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali, under the theme Bandung Spirit for Africa's Agenda 2063. (infomed Kemlu/Elvira)
Jakarta,
22 August 2024 — The Republic of Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign
Affairs underscored the significance of the African region as a strategic partner in pursuing mutually beneficial economic
development for Indonesia and other countries on the continent.
The Republic
of Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pahala N. Mansury, conveyed
this to the media in Jakarta on Thursday (22 August 2024), ahead of the 2nd Indonesia Africa
Forum (IAF), which will be held from 1 to 3 September 2024 in Nusa Dua, Bali.
“It is expected that we will continue to cooperate, given the numerous
strategic values that exist between Indonesia and many African nations”, Pahala
stated.
He underlined
how crucial this collaboration is, particularly in light of current geopolitical tensions. To ease tensions, it is anticipated that
countries in the Southern Hemisphere—including Africa and Indonesia—will be able to emphasize their
non-aligned stance.
Pahala
further highlighted that both
sides have the right to develop their resources. "The right to develop is one of the things we
want to fight for together," he stated.
In this
context, the potential for cooperation in the energy security sector is
paramount, as Africa is home to 10% of the world's oil reserves.
Furthermore,
the 2nd IAF also places
a
major focus on critical mineral resources such as cobalt, lithium, and graphite, which is anticipated
to promote the downstreaming of critical minerals between Indonesia and Africa.
With Africa's population now reaching 1.4 billion, Pahala explained that this
is an excellent opportunity for
Indonesia to diversify its markets into non-traditional ones, such as palm oil,
food and beverages, and apparel.
"This
market diversification is expected to provide a more diverse supply of
commodities and expand export destinations and investment potential
abroad," he added.
According to
statistics by the African Development Bank, the African region saw 3.2 percent economic growth in 2023, and it is
projected to increase to 3.8 percent in 2024.
“This is the strategic
importance of Africa, which is why we are currently fostering the relationship between
Indonesia and Africa,” Pahala explained.
Six heads of
state or government from the African continent will attend the 2nd IAF, which
aims to strengthen economic diplomacy, trade cooperation, and open access to
non-traditional markets between Indonesia and African countries.
Dewi Justicia
Meidiwaty, the Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia,
emphasized the significance of collaborating with third parties as a key priority in enhancing
this relationship. "This
triangular cooperation is also an aspect that can be emphasized in our relationship with Africa," she
stated.
The 2nd
IAF adopted the theme "Bandung Spirit for Africa's Agenda 2063" to
commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference
(AAC), highlighting the significant historical connections between Indonesia
and African nations.
Meidi
underscored the significance of transforming these connections into strategic
economic cooperation that concentrates on priority issues, including health, energy, and food.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Indonesia aspires to leverage the 2nd IAF as a momentum
for enhancing bilateral relations and creating new opportunities for both
parties to achieve sustainable development objectives. (Bayu
Prasetyo/Razi Rahman/TR/Elvira Inda Sari/SC).
***
For further information, please contact:
Director for Information and Media Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Hartyo Harkomoyo (0811831899)
Get more information at https://infopublik.id/kategori/hlf-msp-iaf