REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia hopes Asian and African countries will be able to grow economically and can create peaceful ans secure situation in the regions.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi made the statement when opening the South-South and Triangular cooperation exhibition held in the framework of the commemorative Asia-Africa Conference 2015 at Jakarta Convention Center here on Sunday.

She said the spirit of solidarity among Asian and African countries in the first Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung in 1955 was still relevant and remained until now.

"While the challenge in 1955 was colonialism now it is how the countries may grow together economically and create secure and peaceful situation in the regions," she said.

She said the situation now was almost the same as in 1955 with a number of countries still being left behind countries in other part of the world.

The total Asian-African population reaches 75 percent of the world's total population but the Gross Domestic Product of the regions still remain at around 40 percent of the global GDP, showing that many people in the regions still earn less than US$2 dollar per day.

With regard to security out of 16 operational world peace keeping forces 13 are stationed in Asia-African countries while out of a total of 10.5 million refugees in the world, 6.3 millions are in the regions.

In view of the population the challenge now is how to realize economic potentials in the region through mutually-beneficial cooperation, she said.

With regard to that an economic event will also be organized at the AAC 2015 commemorative conference, she added.

"The Asia-Africa Business Summit (that will be held) will involve private businesses from all member countries and is aimed at strengthening economic cooperation similar to the World Economic Forum East Asia," she said.

In view of that Indonesia is very committed to strengthening the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSCT) as shown by the establishment of the National Coordinating Agency for South-South and Triangular Cooperation, she said.

She said the Indonesian government has already carried out 400 training programs involving 400 participants from 99 countries from Asia, the Pacific, Africa and Latin America.

Minister Retno stated Indonesia is ready to grow and develop together along with other Asian and African countries.

"Growing together is a must. Let us do it through the South-South and Triangular cooperation," she said.

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