REPUBLIK INDONESIA
CO-CHAIRS' STATEMENT ON THE NEW ASIAN-AFRICAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP, TSHWANE, 17 MARCH 2008
We, the Co-Chairs of the New Asian African ·Strategic Partnership, having met in Tshwane on 17 March 2008;
RECALLING the Declaration on the Establishment of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership, in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24 April 2005;
RECONFIRMING our conviction to reinvigorate the Spirit of Bandung and its core principles of solidarity, friendship and cooperation as enshrined in the Declaration of the New Asian-Africa Strategic Partnership Summit of 2005 in Jakarta;
RECALLING our commitment to champion projects within the cooperative framework of the NAASP;
RECALLING als.o the Asia-Africa Summit decision to strongly support the Struggle of the Palestinian People to establish an independent state;
ENDORSED the convening of the Asia-Africa Conference on Capacity Building for Palestine this year;
RECOMMIT ourselves to the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) as a framework to build a bridge between Asia and Africa covering
Signed
REMINDED of our commitment to develop an institutionalized process for the NAASP;
HEREBY ENDORSE for consideration and adoption by the NAASP Member States the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership Framework
Document to enhance managerial coordination of NAASP activities, setting out the Fundamental Principles, Objectives, Institutional Mechanisms, and Procedural and Administrative Guidelines for the New Asian-African
Strategic Partnership, attached hereto.
Signed
I' • f l • ﾷ ｾ ﾷ ﾷＭ ＴＱ＠ • Ｔ ｾ＠ •• ,.. • V t > V • I .I • • V• • ....,,,. "\._" •• • •
· Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki President
Republic of South Africa
Signed
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono President
DECLARATION ON THE NEW ASIAN-AFRICAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK DOCUMENT: TSWANE, 17 MARCH
2008
At the inaugural New Asian-African Strategic Partnership Summit Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24 April 2005, the participants agreed on the establishment of a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP), taking cognisance of the preceding and preparatory work done by the Asian African Sub-Regional Organisations Cooperation (AASROC) since its inception in Bandung in 2003.
Recalling the Declaration on the Establishment of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership, in Jakarta, Indonesia on 24 April 2005 as well as our commitment to develop an institutionalized process of the NAASP.
Hereby adopt the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership Framework Document as a framework to build a bridge between Asia and Africa setting out the Fundamental Principles, Objectives, Institutional Mechanisms, and Procedural and Administrative Guidelines for the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership.
VISION
We underscore the urgency of promoting economic development in the Asian and African regions, as stipulated in the 1955 Bandung Conference. We stress that poverty and under-development, gender mainstreaming, communicable diseases, environmental degradation, natural disasters, drought and desertification, digital! divide, inequitable market access, and foreign debt, remain as issues of common concern that call for our closer cooperation and collective action.
We envision an Asian-African region at peace with itself and with the world at large working together as a concert of nations in harmony, bonded in a non-exclusive dynamiq partnership and conscious of our historical ties and cultural heritage. We visualize an affluent Asian-African region characterized by equitable growth, sustainable development as well as a common determination to enhance the quality of life and well-being of our people. We further envisage a caring Asian-African society where the people live in stability, prosperity, dignity and free from the fear of violence, oppression and injustice.
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
The New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) will serve as a framework to build a bridge between Asia and Africa covering three broad areas of partnership, namely political solidarity, economic cooperation, and socio-cultural relations. The strategic partnership will provide momentum in achieving peace, prosperity and progress, and will be based on the following principles and ideals:
1. The Ten Principles of Bandung of the 1955 Asian - African Conference;
2. Recognition of diversity between and within the regions, including different political social and economic systems and levels of development;
3. Commitment to open dialogue, based on mutual respect and benefit; 4. Promotion of non-exclusive cooperation by involving all
stakeholders;
5. Attainment of practical and sustainable cooperation based on comparative advantage, equal partnership, common ownership and vision, as well as a firm and shared conviction to address common challenges;
6. Promotion of sustainable partnership by complementing and building upon existing regional/sub-regional initiatives in Asia and Africa; 7. Promotion of a just, democratic, transparent, accountable and
harmonious society;
8. Promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development;
9. Promotion of collective and unified efforts in multilateral fora.
OBJECTIVES
The New Asian-African Strategic Partnership will facilitate and promote political solidarity, economic cooperation, and socio-cultural relations, and wi ll develop practical cooperation in areas such as trade, industry, investment, finance, tourism, information and communication technology, energy, health, transportation, agriculture, water resources and fisheries.
means and endeavour to explore innovative mechanisms for confidence building and dispute resolution as well as for post- conflict peace-building. The NAASP will promote human resource development, enhanced capacity building and technical cooperation in order to create an enabling environment for the betterment of the regions.
The New Asian-African Strategic Partnership will deliberately focus on sustainable economic development and in particular address underdevelopment, job creation and eradication of poverty.
MEMBERSHIP
Acknowledging the fundamental role in the establishment of the NAASP, as well as existing intra-regional structures/organisations for cooperation in Asia and in Africa, membership of the NAASP will be open to all sovereign member States of the Asian and African continents which may also be members of existing Asian and African Regional Organisations. Members must adhere to the principles and objectives of the Charter and be willing to undertake commitments under the Charter.
Asian and African Regional Organisations will have the right to participate in all NAASP activities.
Representatives of private sector, academia, non-governmental organizations and other civil society formations will be encouraged to participate in the NAASP activities with the consent of the incumbent Co-Chairs.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF NAASP MEMBERS
Members will have the right to be informed, on a regular basis on any NAASP activity including the work of the Co-Chairs.
Members will have a right of access to all documentation produced by the NAASP.
Members will have the right to participate in all NAASP activities and projects. In cases where limited funds are available to fund any NAASP project, the Champion Country in charge of the lead role for that project/activity will have a right to select the invitees.
Members will have an obligation to contribute to NAASP projects and activities, either in terms of substance and or by way of a financial contribution to the project.
OBSERVERS AND GUESTS
Observers and guests may be invited by the Co-Chairs to a NAASP meeting at which they will be informed about activities of the NAASP.
The participating observers and guests may, upon the discretion of the Co-Chairs, be given an opportunity to articulate their positions on a number of issues within the NAASP framework.
Observers and guests will be encouraged to support the objectives of NAASP and to participate in the execution of NAASP projects, subject to agreement by the NAASP Member States.
Observers and guests may not be regarded as full members of NAASP.
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
The NAASP will be conducted through three tiers of interaction: an intergovernmental forum; sub-regional organizations; and people-to-people interaction, particularly business, academia, and civil society.
Foreign Ministers and Senior Officials (SOM) are responsible for the overall coordination of NAASP. To facilitate a rapid and effective exchange of information among all NAASP partners, a network of NAASP Focal Points, appointed by the Foreign Ministers of all NAASP member states, will provide a direct and informal channel of communications.
A matrix of NAASP activities and projects will be developed with the view to monitor the progress on implementation of NAASP initiatives.
Any proposed NAASP activity or programme should meet the following criteria:
• It should meet the NAASP fundamental principles and advance NAASP objectives
• Participation by sufficient NAASP members must be assured
• Unless otherwise agreed by the NAASP Ministerial Meeting the champion countries of the NAASP activities and program must consist of members of Asian and African regions.
• The champion countries must take initiatives to generate the funding of their proposed NAASP activities and programs including when necessary to obtain third party financing
NAASP MEETINGS
A Summit of Heads of State/Government will be convened every four years; a Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers every two years; and Sectoral Ministerial and other Technical Meetings when deemed necessary.
A Co-Chairs Senior Officials Meeting will be held annually in preparation of the Ministerial as well as Summit Meetings, as well as to consolidate NAASP projects and programmes.
A Business Summit in conjunction with the Summit of Heads of State/Government will be held every four years.
Any decision taken by the NAASP will be on the basis of consensus.
CO-CHAIRS
The NAASP Summit Meeting will, on the basis of rotation, simultaneously elect two Co-Chairs to represent respectively the Asian and the African continents in the NAASP.
The Co-Chairs will have primary responsibility to advance the NAASP process during their term of office of four years.
The Co-Chairs will be responsible to consult with the Member States of its respective region, where issues such as rotation of the Co-Chair shall be discussed.
The Co-Chairs will be responsible to coordinate participation by member states and regional organizations from their respective regions/continents, and will create appropriate opportunities for consultation in and amongst their respective Asian as well as African members.
The Co-Chairs will arrange, coordinate and chair NAASP meetings for the duration of their term of office.
The Member States holding the Co-Chairship of the NAASP will provide the NAASP with secretarial services to enable the Co-Chairs to execute their duties.
The Co-Chairs will provide policy guidance to the NAASP and make decisions on matters pertaining to the execution of NAASP projects as well as monitor and evaluate the progress with implementation of the NAASP projects.
The Co-Chairs will be empowered to take decisions designed to ensure rapid implementation of the programmes that would otherwise have to be delayed until a formal meeting of the NAASP SOM, Ministerial Meeting or Summit.
The Co-Chairs will provide and disseminate periodic reports to all the NAASP Members and Stakeholders to demonstrate progress made with the implementation of NAASP projects.
The Co-Chairs will produce records of the outcome of meetings of the NAASP at every level, and disseminate these reports to all members. The Co-Chairs may invite "Friends of the Co-Chairs" to assist in the preparation of these reports.
Where more than two member states offer to chair the NAASP, the Summit Meeting will decide on the Co-Chairs by a simple majority.
Reliance will be placed on a voluntary offer by any member state to co-chair the NAASP.
One year before the term of office of the current Co-Chairs expire, member states will be invited to apply for the Co-Chairmanship.
HOST COUNTRY
1. Reliance will be placed on a voluntary offer;
2. A simple majority will decide on the host where there is more than one offer to host a meeting;
3. The Co-Chairs will consult with member states in order to encourage a process of regional and geographical rotation; 4. In the case of a member state having offered to host a meeting
being unable to do so, reliance will be placed on a voluntary offer by another member state to host that meeting;
5. A member state offering to host a meeting will be responsible for the general organization and conduct of the meeting, logistical and administrative arrangements, hospitality and security arrangements;
6. The date and venue of the NAASP meeting will be decided upon by the host, in consultation with the Co-Chairs;
7. The Co-Chairs, together with the Host (if not one of the Co-Chairs) will be responsible for the issuing of invitations to attend all meeting of the NAASP as well as issuing public statements ; In the case where the host is not one of the Co-Chairs, the Co-Chairs in consultation with the host country, will compile the list of invitees and draft the letter of invitation;
8. The Co-Chairs will be responsible to compile the Draft Agenda as well as Annotated Agenda for all NAASP Meetings; including all outcome documents.
9. In the case where the host of a meeting of the NAASP is not also occupying the position of a Co-Chair, the host will for the duration of that meeting be co-opted as additional Co-Chair;
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Upon the election of the new Co-Chairs, the responsibility of the Co-Chairs, as set out in this document, will immediately be transferred to the newly elected Co-Chairs.
The serving Co-Chairs will upon the appointment of the newly elected Co-Chairs, arrange for the transfer of all documents and records pertaining to the NAASP, to the offices of the newly elected Co-Chairs. During the term of office of the newly elected Co-Chairs, the immediately preceding Co-Chairs will advise, share knowledge and best practice and assist the Co-Chairs in the execution of their task.
