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Response to Global South: Good for you, not for me!
Indonesia has it in its DNA to act as a speaker or representative of developing countries in dealing with industrialized nation.
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People stand waiting in front of the Merdeka building for carnival participants to pass by in their colorful costumes in Bandung, West Java, on Aug. 14, 2023. The building was the venue of the Asia-Africa Conference in 1955. JP/Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post/Arya Dipa)
The organizing committee of the Platinum Jubilee of the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung, West Java, has provided me with two long and difficult questions.
First, how do you identify the means to strengthen Global South solidarity by leveraging the Bandung Spirit to address global challenges, while simultaneously fostering mutually beneficial cooperation to promote economic growth and prosperity for the nations of Asia and Africa?
Second, how do you identify the involvement of multi-stakeholders, including journalists and youth, in fostering collaboration between the Asia and Africa regions to address shared concerns and achieve common objectives?
Regarding the first question, economic cooperation among developing countries is always challenging. In the 1990s, we could easily meet with African textile importers in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. South African icon Nelson Mandela was once Indonesia’s most celebrated batik “ambassador”. Now, only Indonesia’s instant noodles are popular in Africa.
The Foreign Ministry and other ministries have tried to expand Indonesia’s exports to Africa. I don't know if they have succeeded.
A director of the Africa Desk at the Foreign Ministry told me he was surprised when he was personally received by foreign ministers during his visits to the continent. “I was so lucky because even the visits of Indonesian senior officials were rare there,” he said.
It's hard to answer the second question about collaboration between the two continents. If asked about Indonesia, the best person to answer is the Indonesian Ambassador to Ethiopia Al Busyra Basnur. He's creative, not just in government-to-government relations but also between young people, academics and journalists.
