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FM Retno attends AU summit in Ethiopia
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi attended the 24th African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi attended the 24th African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday.
The 24th African Union summit was held under the theme 'Women's Role in Developing Africa' and was attended by 54 heads of state, in addition to UN Secretary- General Ban-ki Moon, UN General Assembly president Sam Kahamba Kutesa, the Arab League's secretary- general Nabil Elaraby, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Spanish King Felipe VI.
'The presence of Indonesia at the African Union summit shows our commitment to Africa and the importance of the region,' Retno said as quoted by Antara news agency.
Retno also used the opportunity to elaborate on the planned 60th anniversary of the 1955 Asia Africa Conference, which will be held in Jakarta and Bandung in April.
'The 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference will also show Indonesia's commitment to forge closer ties between Asia and Africa, which has huge potential,' she added.
African Union chairperson Nkosazana Zuma said the spirit of unity in the 1955 conference, which guided participating counties through the challenges of that era, was still relevant for the continent in facing current global challenges.
On the sidelines of the summit, Retno, the first Indonesian foreign minister to visit Ethiopia since bilateral ties were established in 1974, held bilateral talks with her counterparts from Ethiopia, Egypt, Togo, Algeria, Kenya, Madagascar and South Africa. The talks highlighted the hopes of African nations in forging economic ties with Indonesia. (***)
