Indonesia-Africa Forum 2018

Economic growth in Asia and Africa would drive the global economy. In 2050, Indonesia is predicted to become the 4th world economic power.

KOMPAS/DIDIE SW

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Indonesia will host the Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) 2018 in Bali on Apr. 10-11. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is scheduled to open the IAF, which will be led by Vice President Jusuf Kalla on its second day. Even though the forum is not a ministerial meeting, the Indonesian Foreign Ministry has invited a number of African cabinet ministers. The forum will discuss the economic and trade cooperation agenda, and is set to be the platform of the government’s diplomatic achievement with Africa under the leadership of President Jokowi.

As Jokowi once pointed out at the G-20 Summit in Berlin on July 8, 2017, the close political ties between Indonesia and African countries that was established at the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference (KAA) must be realized as close economic ties through encouraging investment, reducing and eliminating trade barriers and improving technical cooperation. Therefore, Africa must be prioritized in Indonesia\'s diplomacy, development cooperation, investment and trade.