Indonesia Trains 1,338 Palestinians as Part of Capacity Building Efforts

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia trained 1,338 Palestinians as part of its capacity building programs organized through the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) between 2008 and 2013, Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi has said.

"Under the NAASP program for Palestinian capacity building, Indonesia initiated 128 programs and trained 1,338 Palestinians," the minister said in her opening address to the "International Conference on the Question of Jerusalem" here on Monday.

The capacity building programs covered various fields including small and medium scale businesses, financial and taxation service, micro financial service, agriculture, regular diplomatic training, archives, health and energy.

Other fields were womens empowerment, democratization and good governance, industry, monument and site conservation and restoration, and construction.

In addition, Indonesia has also been taking active part in the Conference on Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) and hosted it in 2014. It is also planning to attend the next meeting to be held in Japan next year.

"The Indonesian stand has been consistently one of support to the people of Palestine," she said.

When hosting the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Asia-Africa Conference in Jakarta in April, Indonesia and participating countries came up with a Declaration for Palestine.

The document contains support for the Palestinian people to gain genuine independence.

At the multilateral forum, Indonesia joined other countries in expressing full support to the Resolution of the UN General Assembly 67/19 dated November 29, 2012 on the admission of Palestine as a non-member observer state at the UN. (WDY)