Bandung Spirit Network - AASGON Presentation 2011

Bandung Spirit Network

THE DYNAMIC OF INTERNATIONAL THE DYNAMIC OF INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES IN AFRICA, ASIA AND EXCHANGES IN AFRICA, ASIA AND

EUROPEEUROPEJakarta-Bandung-Malang-BaliJakarta-Bandung-Malang-Bali

November 14-20, 2011November 14-20, 2011

http://bandungspirit.orghttp://bandungspirit.org http://aasgon.nethttp://aasgon.net

[email protected] [email protected]

Equity in Africa-Asia Strategic Partnership & Bandung Africa Centre

Presentation by:

Abdul ‘Dewale MohammedFounder & Executive President

Africa Asia Scholars Global Network

(AASGON)

http://bandungspirit.orghttp://bandungspirit.org http://aasgon.nethttp://aasgon.net [email protected] [email protected]

Presentation Outline

• Functional Integrity• World Peace and Prosperity• Africa Asia Integration • Equity & Sustainable Partnership• AASROC & the Ten Bandung Principles • BAC – Institute for Mutual Cooperation• Changing how Government works • Conclusions A, B, C & D

Functional Integrity

56 years after the Bandung Asia-Africa Conference, Africa still lacks the coherent strategy for exploiting the benefits of globalization and its growing prominence in the international arena.

Asia -Africa Alliance - key to World Peace & Prosperity?

Asia like the West is increasingly investing in Africa’s infrastructural development such as education and health, yet despite its endowed wealth, the continent of Africa remains marginalised and impoverished.

Africa – Asia Integration• The significance of Africa for Asian ancient

history cannot be overstated.

• The level of interaction among Africa and Asia sub-regional organisations is imperfect.

• Level of People-to-People interaction (business, academia and the civil society) is less encouraging.

Customs & Tradition

• In the past Indian men have married many African women in Africa. In small numbers Indians first settled in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimabwe, Zaire and Nigeria. Today in Asia is not only the Indian society that forbids their women from courting with African men.

A Filipina bride and Nigerian groom walk down the

aisle.

Africa’s Key Allies

Today, China alone has 60% of global reserves with 3.2 trillion dollars in foreign exchange.

India's foreign exchange reserves touched $297.3 billion in December, 2010 from $279.1 billion in March (the 4th largest in the world).

Last year, Japan’s foreign exchange reserves hit $1.12 trillion

Equity & Sustainable Partnership

• Asia’s share in global trade rose from 9.3% in 2001 to 12.6% in 2006, while the region’s share in global GDP (PPP) has risen to 27% in 2006 from 22% in 2001

• Over the same period Africa’s share in global GDP rose marginally from 3.2% to 3.4% and its share in global trade from 2.0% to 2.5

Trade Imbalance

Cause for Concern

BAC will act as an institutional reform for cooperation among Africa and Asia, improvise, analyse, evaluate and stimulate the contributions of the Asian-African Sub-Regional Organizations and the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership towards a balanced cultural, social and economic transformation of a New Africa.

AASROC – Building Blocks• To revive the spirit of cooperation between Asia and

Africa and proactively strengthen multilateral efforts.

• Promote common vision, equal partnership and shared conviction.

• Enhance equitable sharing of the benefits of globalisation.

What has Africa got to offer?

• Africa is highly endowed with vast human and natural resources, commodities and raw materials essential for the growth of Asia.

• With a combined population close to 1 billion Africa is a conducive market for Asia’s manufactured products.

• Africa is the potential ‘World Food Basket

Africa’s huge potentials

•With highest growth rate outside of Asia, and greater than Brazil and Russia, “Africa will achieve 4.8% growth in 2010 and 2011” - IMF

•Over the next five years the average African economy will outpace its Asian counterpart.

Africa's impressive growth

•

Manipulation? • Michael Sata, Zambia’s new President has called on Chinese

companies to obey the rule of law.

• US and UK raise concerns over the political, economic and military roles China is playing in the African continent.

• China states investment predicated on “win-win cooperation” promise to abide by the lawful rights of developing countries, promote a new, fair and just political and economic order.

• Africa should benefit from investors in her continent and not the other way round.

Structural Deficiency

Inspite of the Bandung Principles and the large scale of investment in Africa by Asia, Africa lacks the political will, consistent approach, logical and articulate infrastructure to maintain realistic economic and socio-cultural growth.

BAC - Institute for Mutual Cooperation

Bandung Africa Centre (BAC) represents a new era of stronger cooperation between Africa and Asia.

Guided by the Ten Principles of the 1955 Asian-African Conference, BAC is the creative, dynamic and enabling institutional framework for mobilizing Africa to maximize its impact in its strategic partnership with Asia.

BAC- A Veritable Institution• BAC will help maintain the functional integrityfunctional integrity of

the Asia Africa Strategic Partnership• Reinforce domestic reforms in Africa• Improvise, analyse, evaluate and stimulate

AASROC and NAASP efforts at creating a balanced cultural, social and economic transformation of a New Africa.

BAC Launch, 50th Anniversary Africa Liberation Day May 2013.

Museum of the Africa Asia Conference in Bandung

Permanent Exhibition Room

Museum of the Asian African Conference

City of Bandung, Indonesia

Equity for mutually beneficial and sustainable partnership

• For equity to be maintained Asia with less bureaucratic obstacles needs to encourage Africans to invest in Asia

• Asian partners to encourage the use of local materials and labour in their operations in Africa

• Improve Asia Africa relations through tourism and socio-cultural exchange programs

Changing how Government works

The duty of Government is to:

- Legislate - Administrate- Adjudicate

And in the administrative bureaucracy Government controls and enforce state policy.

SMART Options• The onus falls on the champions of the Principles of

Bandung, to reinforce and extensively promote educational exchange programmes between students from the world’s two largest continents and vastly growing economies.

• Support the establishment of ‘Africa Asia Scholars Trust Fund’(AASTF) for greater resource and active interaction of Asian and African Scholars worldwide.

Conclusions A• Asian and African Leaders should and must

change their approach at addressing the business and development of the state.

• The Civil Society should be allowed to play more significant and equal role in the drafting and implementation of policies.

Conclusions B

• Empower the Civil Society, Institutions and other stakeholders.

• Promote Public – Private Driven Initiatives.

• Maintain Accountability, Transparency and the Rule of Law.

Conclusions C• Conference should adopt Bandung Africa Centre and the Africa

Asia Scholars Trust Fund and recommend its endorsement to the ASEAN 19th Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

• Set up a Follow up Committee reporting to the Bandung Spirit Network on progress made to develop uniform frameworks and realistic strategies that will proactively integrate the continents.

– Investment, Economic and Trade Liberalization– Skills and Educational Exchange Programs– Socio-Cultural Exchange– Eco-Tourism Promotions– Collaboration in Sports e.g. Afro-Asia Games

Conclusion DTo galvanise the spirit of Bandung this conference should endorse the establishment of:

•Africa - Asia Universities Forum (AAUF).

•Asia -Africa Traditional Rulers Forum (AATRF).

“Paint a picture of tomorrow and you draw from the colours of the past“  - Khaleel Muhammad“

“History is a light that illuminates the past, and a key that unlocks the door to the future“ - Runoko Rashidi 

References

• Flint H. (2006) Africa & Asia Trade & capital flows Global Markets Research - Standard Bank.

• http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/economic-survey-2011/Indias-forex-reserves-4th-largest-in-world-Economic-Survey/articleshow/7570095.cms

• http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/01/daily_chart

• http://lkysppeak.wordpress.com/events/africaasia-relations-open-for-dialogue/

• http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/Africa/Zambia-Sata-warns-chineese.html

• MINING.com Editor June 8 2011• http://blackhistory.tribe.net/thread/c2c89a2a-7764-45ad-a550-6caab13e86f0

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interracial_marriage

PROMOTING PEACE & PROSPERITYAASGON is a unique initiative and a gathering of the very best intellectuals of Africa and Asia - the continents' future potential leaders and change makers. AASGON act as a reference point; promote diversity as a source of cohesive habitation and a vibrant world and coordinate the talents of scholars. The

organization takes pride in creating awareness of the richness of Africa and Asia, plan for their future and develop their present, while it seeks to promote

the exchange of information and enhance cultural co-operation among member nations and across borders.