By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar
JAKARTA, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- Indonesia will host the 2nd Indonesia-Africa Forum in Bali for three days from Sept 1, 2024 to strengthen ties between Indonesia and Africa and promote mutual prosperity.
The event, themed Bandung Spirit for Africa’s Agenda 2063, reflects President Joko Widodo’s commitment to Africa, as highlighted during his 2023 visit to Tanzania.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the forum underscores Indonesia’s dedication to finalising a five-year development plan for Africa and enhancing collaboration with the continent.
Over the past decade, the country launched 60 Triangular South-South Cooperation programmes across Africa, focusing on food security, energy, and health.
This move highlights Indonesia’s growing role as a significant donor on the global stage, the ministry said in a statement on Monday (Aug 26).
The programmes also address a range of other sectors, including fisheries, good governance, MSMEs, infrastructure development, disaster risk management, women’s empowerment, trade and investment.
“Indonesia is increasingly being recognised internationally as a dependable development partner for developing countries, a reliable Southern provider,” the ministry’s information and public diplomacy director-general Siti Nugraha Mauludiah said.
She pointed out that the creation of the International Development Cooperation Agency (also known as Indonesia AID) in 2019 marked a major step in managing development aid effectively.
Since then, Indonesia has partnered with 23 of Africa’s 54 countries, covering 42 per cent of the continent.
In the area of food security, Indonesia supported drought relief efforts in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Madagascar, and revitalised agricultural training centres in The Gambia and Tanzania.
In the realm of healthcare, Indonesia donated medicines and medical equipment to Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and in 2023, they provided 1.58 million doses of Pentavalent vaccines to Nigeria.
Solar energy capacity-building training is also offered to Namibia, Mozambique, Sudan, Senegal, and Tanzania, Siti Nugraha added.
-- BERNAMA