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By APD writer Aditya Nugraha
**JAKARTA, Aug. 21 (APD) ** - Leisure island of Bali hosted the 2-day international forum of 2019 Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue (IAID) that started on Tuesday, highly expected to expand cooperation in infrastructure and other potential sectors between the two regions.
The forum is attended by Indonesian officials, vice president of Guinea Equatorial and ministers from Zanzibar, Tanzania as well as senior officials from 53 African countries.
In his opening remarks to open the forum, Indonesia President Joko Widodo said the forum is very relevant to anticipate impacts of the developing trade tension between China and the United States at present.
“Trade tension, global economic crisis, conflict between countries, development gaps have created uncertainties nowadays. Indonesia and Africa must enhance solidarity to further improve the regional and global situation. We have to work hard to change uncertainty into certainty,” the Indonesian president said.
Indonesia is a true friend for African countries which is ready to become the partner in prospering the people by participating in development of infrastructure and trade in the latter region.
Indonesia Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the IAID this year woild be featured with several dialogues covering various issues. Besides infrastructure the dialogues would discuss energy, mining and tourism.
The IAID this year is the second one after the one held last year that resulted in US$ 586.56 million worth of cooperation transactions between Indonesian and African companies in infrastructure, financing, mining, aircraft maintenance service and commodity trade sectors.
The IAID was founded in Indonesia-Africa Forum (IAF) held in Bali April last year.
The 2019 IAID is expected to expand the cooperation transactions to US$ 822 million.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)