REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla has called on all members of the Indonesian Diaspora Network to unite in an attempt to develop Indonesia.

"Indonesian Diaspora Networks should not imitate the parties in Indonesia. The Indonesian Diaspora should not be divided. If all members want to be leaders, it will confuse us," Kalla stated here on Monday.

The vice president urged the foreign minister to resolve the issue.

The Indonesian Diaspora Global Summit, which will be held on Aug 21 and 22, 2017, will address three main topics, namely education and health for Papua and West Papua, the contribution of diaspora to energy savings with cutting-edge technology, and Indonesian Diaspora protection.

Earlier, former US president Barack Obama delivered a keynote speech at the opening session of the Congress of the Indonesian Diaspora Network Global at the Kasablanka Hall here on Saturday (July 1).

Obama delivered a speech, lasting about 30 minutes, in front of thousands of members of the Indonesian diaspora from the US, China, Mexico, Germany, Suriname, Qatar, Oman, Brunei Darussalam, France, the Netherlands, and Myanmar.

Members of the diaspora applauded the 44th US president when he entered from the right side of the stage.

In his speech, Obama recounted his most memorable experience during a trip to Bali and Yogyakarta while saying, "Indonesia is part of me."

Obama has been known to have a closer relationship with Indonesia, as he had spent several years of his childhood in Jakarta.

Some 9 thousand people from 55 countries attended the 4th Indonesian Diaspora Congress themed "Synergize To Build the Nation," held from July 1 to 4, 2017. Some 42 speakers took part in 12 different sessions of the event.

Obama's speech at the opening session of the Indonesian Diaspora Congress was his first in Asia after completing his duties as president of the US in Jan 2017.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Diaspora Network Global Dino Patti Djalal noted in a press conference recently that Obama had a special relationship with Indonesia and had become an inspiring figure for the Indonesian people and diaspora.

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