ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopian youth leaders have expressed readiness to work towards igniting the spirit of Bandung-1955, a forum for Asia and Africa Cooperation.
According to a press release from Indonesian Embassy here in Addis Ababa, two youth leaders, Kalewongel Tesfaye and Sileshi Sals Umer, have paid a visit to the historical Asian- African Conference Museum (AACM) in Bandung, Indonesia on Saturday.
Indonesia and Africa have close and important relations, with one of the milestones being the Asian-African Conference which took place in April 1955 in Bandung, Indonesia. However, the press release reads, it is important to keep promoting the close relations that already existed for more than half a century to the younger generations in Africa as well as in Indonesia.
The close relationship has not been felt much in the community level, many people do not know about the great potential for cooperation between African countries and Indonesia, especially in the economic and socio-cultural fields, the Embassy reiterates.
Kalewongel is one of the founders of Ethiopia-Indonesia Youth Association (EIYA), which was established on June 2019 at the Indonesian Embassy in Addis Ababa by Ethiopian and Indonesian youths together.
During the visit to AACM in Bandung, Kalewongel and Sileshi met with the official of the Museum, and had the opportunity to learn more about the meaning of the 1955 conference to Asian and African Nations.
“We are committed to promote and ignite the spirit of Bandung 1955 to African countries, especially in Ethiopia. We will translate the spirit into concrete cooperation in the field of economy and socio-culture,” said Kalewongel.
Prior to their visit, Kalewongel and Sileshi attended Indonesia-Africa Infrastructure Dialogue (IAID) – an economic forum between Indonesia and African countries that focuses on cooperation in infrastructure – on August 2019 in Bali, Indonesia.
“After attending IAID, I have seen many opportunities for cooperation to be explored between Indonesia and Africa.” As to Al Busyra Basnur, Indonesian Ambassador to Ethiopia, the young men were chosen to visit Indonesia because they are creative young entrepreneurs in Ethiopia, and also have a big intention to improve relations between Ethiopia and Indonesia. Each of them lead a youth organization that have huge numbers that came from all over Ethiopia, the Ambassador noted.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 28/2019
BY STAFF REPORTER
