Indonesia Should Intensify Its Global Role Through AAC

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia, the host of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC), should utilize the opportunity to enhance its global role in development, an observer stated.

"Indonesia should seize the opportunity to utilize the 60th anniversary commemoration forum of the AAC to lead the world's development cooperation, particularly among the AAC member countries," Economic observer Professor Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana of the Business and Economic Faculty of the Padjajaran University remarked over the weekend.

According to Armida, Indonesian presence in the world forum should be increased, particularly its role in debates on regional and international issues.

Therefore, she expressed hope that the Indonesian government will be able to utilize the momentum to formulate a development agenda for reinforcing solidarity with the international community through various forms of cooperation.

Armida noted that Indonesia can play a leading role in forging global development through South-South Cooperation.

She noted that the development could be carried out through South-South Cooperation or through a triangular cooperation, which is cooperation between Indonesia and the developing countries facilitated by both multilateral and bilateral partnerships.

Armida pointed out that the cooperation agenda must be concrete and implementable such as the cooperation on infrastructure development.

Apart from infrastructure, the cooperation could also be related to various global forums that were formulating a development agenda.

"The next step is parallel cooperation, which is offering business opportunities," she emphasized.

The same expectation was also echoed by the Students Executive Board (BEM) of the Indonesian University (UI). "The government is expected to utilize the ACC anniversary's momentum to reinforce Indonesia's role and presence in both regional and international forums," Chairman of BEM UI Andi Aulia Rahman stated in a press statement. (WDY)