Story by ZBC News Reporter
Speaker of Parliament Honourable Advocate J.F.N Mudenda, who is in Bali, Indonesia, has called for more trade between Indonesia and Africa.
He said this in his keynote address to the Plenary during the official opening ceremony of the 2nd Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum on Sunday.
The Forum is running under the theme, ‘Forging Indonesia – Africa Parliamentary Partnership for Development’, from the 31st of August to the 3rd of September at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
In attendance are distinguished guests who include Speaker Mudenda, Speaker of the Parliament of Tunisia, Speaker of the Senate of Kenya, President of the Senate of the Parliament of Burundi, Speaker of Zanzibar, President of Senate of the Parliament of Eswatini, the representative of Her Excellency, the First Lady of Kenya and several Deputy Speakers as well as the Governor of Bali Province and Members of Parliament.
In his keynote address, on behalf of the delegation from Zimbabwe and on his behalf, Speaker Mudenda conveyed fraternal commendation to the host Speaker, Her Excellency, Dr Puan Maharani, Speaker of House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia for the impeccable logistical and hospitality arrangements accorded to delegates attending the Indonesia – Africa Parliamentary Forum.
Turning to substantial matters about the Forum, Speaker Mudenda exhorted the plenary to be motivated by the Bandung spirit, in which the African and Asian socio-economic umbilical cord was immortalised for posterity.
“The Bandung Declaration ostensibly accentuated the respect for the inalienable fundamental human rights, the equality of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations under the banner of multilateralism and non-intervention or interference in the internal affairs of each other’s countries,” Speaker Mudenda opined.
On the economic front and to give impetus to trade between Indonesia and Africa, Speaker Mudenda exhorted both regions’ Parliaments to show dexterity and ingenuity in crafting trade laws which establish one-stop–investment centres such as the Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency or the Rwanda Investment Board.
Speaker Mudenda also underscored the centrality of synergized trade laws between Indonesia and Africa as being critical in eliminating trade barriers.
Advocate Mudenda called on Africa to harness the plethora of economic opportunities courtesy of friendly laws enacted by Indonesia to catalyze development in Africa.
Speaker Mudenda’s delivery contextualised contemporary issues in Indonesia-Africa relations, at the same time locating the cardinal historic precedent of the South-South solidarity as encapsulated by the Bandung conference spirit.
To round up the highly successful Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum, the President of Indonesia, His Excellency Joko Widodo, hosted a dinner for Speakers of Parliament and Heads of Delegations at the State House.
