VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: Indonesia's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pahala Mansury, emphasized that the spirit of the Global South will be a key element in strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and African countries. He expressed this during a meeting with editors-in-chief in Jakarta on Thursday (22/08/2024), ahead of the 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) to be held in Bali from September 1-3, 2024.

According to Pahala, the close cooperation between Indonesia and African countries, which has strong historical roots dating back to the 1955 Asian-African Conference, is now being reinforced through the theme "Bandung Spirit for Africa's Agenda 2063." He stated that "the spirit of the Global South will be a differentiator in our approach to cooperation with Africa, particularly in combating discriminatory and protectionist policies, including those related to green protectionism."

The Vice Minister also highlighted the importance of the historical relationship and shared interests between Indonesia and Africa as developing countries.

"Indonesia and African countries share a common vision in self-development and building resilience in the sectors of food security, energy, health, and minerals. This forms the foundation for closer and mutually beneficial collaboration," said the Vice Minister.

Furthermore, Pahala sees great potential in African countries as a new market for Indonesia's export diversification and foreign investment.

"This cooperation opens up opportunities to strengthen economic connectivity and diplomatic relations, as well as provide tangible benefits for both parties," he said.

The 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum is projected to result in memorandums of understanding (MoUs) worth up to US$ 3.5 billion, which are expected to drive mutual economic growth. The forum will be attended by heads of state and high-ranking officials from various African countries and will be officially opened by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.

On this occasion, Pahala also invited the media to play an active role in supporting and disseminating information related to the 2nd IAF.

"The role of the media is crucial in ensuring that the messages and goals of this forum are widely received. We hope that our media partners can contribute by expanding the reach of information through publications and coverage during the event," he concluded.