Jakarta (Antara News) - Foreign Affairs Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi on Sunday officially opened an exhibition of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) being held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), from April 19 to 23, 2015.

The expo is organized as part of the 60th Commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) 2015 held in Jakarta from April 19 to 23, and in Bandung, West Java Province, on April 24, 2015.

The SSTC is crucial because it is a manifestation of solidarity among developing nations, Minister Marsudi explained.

"We, however, do not only talk about South-South Cooperation. We need to step forward further. Therefore, we invite development partners to strengthen the cooperation called Triangular Cooperation," the minister noted.

Indonesia has been highly trusted internationally to intensify the South-South cooperation, that includes capacity building training courses for developing countries.

So far, the Indonesian government has organized 400 training programs for 4,400 participants from 99 countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.

"Indonesia is very much committed to the strengthening of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation. Therefore, in 2010, we set up a National Coordinating Agency for the South-South and Triangular Cooperation," she stated.

Delegates from 86 Asian and African countries here, Sunday, participated in the Senior Officials Meeting of the Asia-Africa Conference (AAC)s 60th Commemoration.

Some 32 world leaders will attend the AAC Summit, the foreign affairs ministrys Information and Media Director Siti Sofia Sudarma said.

The leaders who have confirmed their attendance include those from Brunei Darussalam, Jordan, Swaziland, China, North Korea, Iran, Madagascar, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Sudan, Timor Leste, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Gabon, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Singapore, and Thailand.

Six countries, namely Algeria, Angola, Liberia, the Philippines, Seychelles, and Zambia, will send deputy heads of state or government.

The AAC Ministerial Meeting to be held on April 20, will be participated in by ministers from 40 Asian and African nations.

The AAC commemorative event will also be attended by representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the African Union, ASEAN, the United Nations, The Arab Leagues, the South Center.

Events marking the AAC include a senior officials meeting on April 19, a ministerial-level meeting on April 20, the Asian-African Business Summit on April 21, and the Asian-African Summit in Jakarta on April 22 and 23.

The heads of state/government will also participate in an historical walk event of the AAC in Bandung on April 24.

The AAC was first organized in Bandung in April 1955, at the initiative of Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, and Pakistan. ***2***
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