Speaking at the second Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) in Bali, Jokowi said developing countries had to find a new “direction” and “vision”, as they were much more vulnerable to ongoing geopolitical instabilities, economic slowdowns and supply chain uncertainties.

“Global solidarity must be reignited to increase South-South and North-South cooperation,” the outgoing President said during a leaders-level meeting at the IAF, “so that we can complement each other and make whole and be shoulder-to-shoulder as we resolve global challenges.”

Over 1,400 participants from 29 countries, including some heads of state, gathered in Bali on Sunday to begin three days of talks on Indonesia-Africa relations at the forum, themed “Bandung Spirit for Africa’s Agenda 2063”.

The first AIF was held in 2018 as Jakarta sought to reignite diplomatic ties with Africa, a continent with which it shares a past through the historic Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Amid heightened global tensions stemming from United States-China competition, Indonesia has in recent years attempted to establish itself as a prominent voice of the Global South, a contemporary adaptation of the role it played alongside a group of African countries during the Cold War era. Indonesia considers itself a middle power.

“Indonesia is committed to becoming part of the solution in fighting for Global South rights, at the same time playing a bridge-builder role in championing equality, justice and solidarity in achieving the SDGs,” Jokowi told his African counterparts. “This has been Indonesia’s consistent commitment since the Asia-Africa Conference 69 years ago.”