AASROC Concludes Identifying Areas of Asia-Africa Cooperation

Addis Ababa, July 30(ENA)-- The two-day Asia-Africa Sub-Regional Organization Conference (AASROC) held in Bandung, Indonesia, was concluded on Wednesday by identifying areas of cooperation between the two continents and deciding to form a team charged with the task of preparing detail implementation program.

In a statement the foreign ministers of Indonesia and South Africa gave at the end of the conference, the areas of cooperation identified in the course of the two-day conference would enable the two continents harmonize their endeavors in the economic, political, cultural and social sectors.

Human resource development, trade, agricultural development, investment, infrastructure, transport and communications were some of the key areas of cooperation identified in the conference, according to the ministers.

Conference participants have backed the idea of forging a strategic partnership between the two continents with a full conviction that it would help ensure peace and stability, fight terrorism and face the challenges of globalization, the two ministers said.

The conference was attended by some 160 persons including Foreign Ministers or their Deputies from more than 30 countries and 22 heads of organisations from Asia and Africa as well as representatives from international and regional institutions.

The participants have resolved to establish a team of experts responsible for preparing an implementation program that would facilitate cooperations between the two continents, the ministers said.

The team will consist of members drawn from countries in the two continents and jointly be led by Indonesia and South Africa, countries which co-organized the conference.

The team was expected to finalize and present its work on the second Asia-Africa Sub-Regional Organization Conference which will be held in South Africa in June 2004, the ministers said.

AASROC was initiated in 1955 at the Asia Africa Conference held in Bandung and the current conference is a preparatory meeting for the AAC Summit to be held in Bandung in 2005, in conjunction with its golden jubilee celebration.