REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, opened the Asian-African parliamentary conference at the Nusantara building here on Thursday.
The conference, initiated by the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), was held to strengthen the role of parliaments in the Asian-African region.
"I welcome and laud the initiative of the DPR to convene the conference of the Asian-African Parliament on April 23, 2015," President Jokowi remarked during his opening address at the gathering.
Jokowi noted that Indonesia has been widely commended for having hosted various world historical events.
The president stated that the conference themed, "Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in the South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity," is in line with the government's aim to contextualize key values of the Asian-African Conference.
"The countries of Asia and Africa are now required to contextualize the principal values of prosperity, solidarity, and stability championed by their predecessors 60 years ago," the Indonesian head of state remarked.
Numerous state officials who will deliver their speeches at the conference are Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee Chairperson Nurhayati Ali Assegaf, House Speaker Setya Novanto, former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice Chairmen of the House of Representatives Fadli Zon and Fachri Hamzah, among others.
The forum will discuss various issues including cooperation in promoting development in Asian-African countries, the new Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP), and the recognition of Palestine.
Earlier, Chairman of the House of Representatives Setya Novanto affirmed that the Asian-African Parliamentary Conference will declare support for the policy produced by the heads of state during the 60th Asia-Africa Conference.
"The Asian-African Parliamentary Conference is a meeting between the chairmen of parliament of the South-South states. The forum will discuss the independence of Palestine, sustainable development, health, and poverty," Novanto said here on Thursday.
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