BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PALESTINIAN statehood is one of the main agenda at the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference Commemoration (AACC) that will take place in Indonesia next week, the Indonesian ambassador here said.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Nurul Qomar said this year’s commemoration will place greater emphasis on supporting Palestine as an independent state.

According to The Jakarta Post report on Thursday, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed that His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mui’zzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam would be one of the leaders attending the conference.

The conference from April 19-24 will highlight the importance of Asian-African countries (South-South) economic cooperation, including enhancing capacity building programmes for Palestine, the envoy said.

As part of Asia-Africa cooperation, Nurul said Brunei can play a key role in providing capacity building programmes for Palestine as the sultanate offers similar training programmes to other countries.

“The Indonesian government hopes that the ‘Bandung spirit’ remains alive and the support for Palestine will produce positive outcomes as well as (enhance) South-South cooperation in the economic and political aspects,” she added.

The first Asian-African Conference in 1955 at Bandung created the “Bandung spirit”, which called on then new nations to build solidarity and friendship as well recognise their mission to fight colonialism.

The first conference also produced the 10-point declaration that incorporated the principles of the United Nations Charter, including human rights, sovereignty, equality and non-intervention in the internal affairs of another country.

This year’s commemoration will see 34 heads of states and heads of governments, as well as representatives from 77 countries attending the conference, The Jakarta Post reported, quoting the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.

The leaders meeting will take place from April 22-23 in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, while the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the conference will take place in Bandung on April 24.

Leaders are expected to take a walk from Bandung’s Savoy Homann Hotel to Gedung Merdeka to symbolise the solidarity of Asians and Africans.

The Brunei Times