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In her keynote address during the official opening of the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum in Bali, Indonesia on 1 September 2024, Her Excellency, Dr. Puan Maharani, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, said there is a need for strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Africa in the arena of renewable energy, food security, digital economy and women participation in both private and public sectors.
The Forum is running under the theme, ‘Forging Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Partnership for Development’, from 31st August to the 3rd of September at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
“The Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum has been a guiding principle on the strategic relationship critically anchored on shared values of South-South co-operation, promoting Afro-Asian economic and cultural interface, anti-colonialism, anti neo–neo-colonialism as enunciated sixty-nine (69) years ago during the Bandung Conference.
“Indonesia and African Parliaments are now convening under very different circumstances when Parliamentary diplomacy is taking centre stage with Parliaments being consulted on global issues that affect the people they represent. We need to focus on key areas for strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Africa, namely, in the arena of renewable energy, food security, digital economy, and women’s participation in both private and public sectors,” Dr. Maharani said.
The Host Speaker called for strategic and impactful partnerships that bring peace and prosperity to the people of Indonesia and Africa. This essentially calls for the involvement of Parliaments in the search for global solutions to worldwide challenges. In this vein, she called for the full independence of Palestine and peace in Gaza, Ukraine, and all conflict zones in the world.
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador-designate to Indonesia, His Excellency Mr. Martin Makururu, interfaced with the Hon. Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon Advocate Jacob F.N. Mudenda on 31 August 2024, providing a comprehensive brief on the operations of the Mission in Indonesia particularly the strides made in upscaling economic cooperation between Zimbabwe and Indonesia for the mutual benefit of the citizenry of the two sisterly Republics, which dovetails with His Excellency, the President, Cde Dr E.D Mnangagwa’s s policy thrust of striving towards an upper middle-class economy by 2030.
In his keynote address, on behalf of the delegation from Zimbabwe and indeed on his behalf, Speaker Mudenda conveyed fraternal commendation to the host Speaker, Dr.Maharani for the impeccable logistical and hospitality arrangements accorded to delegates attending the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum.
Turning to substantial matters concerning the Forum, Speaker Mudenda exhorted the Plenary to be motivated by the Bandung spirit, in which the African and Asian socio-economic umbilical cord was immortalised for posterity.
The Bandung Declaration ostensibly accentuated the respect for the inalienable fundamental human rights, the equality of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations under the banner of multilateralism and non-intervention or interference in the internal affairs of each other’s countries, Speaker Mudenda opined.