PM Najib Joins Historical Walk With AACC Heads Of State, Delegates In Bandung

By Azeman Ariffin BANDUNG (Indonesia), April 24 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Friday participated in the Historical Walk, the highlight of the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration (AACC) and 10th Asian African Strategic Partnership, held here. Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor were at the frontline together with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and several heads of state, members of Parliament and AACC representatives. They walked about 50 metres from the Savoy Homann Bidakara Hotel to the Gedung Merdeka Bandung. The prime minister and the heads of state entered the hall of the historical building for the keynote address by Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi and also representatives from Asian and African countries. Later there was a symbolic signing ceremony and the 'Dasasila Bandung' declaration read by Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil. China's President Xi Jinping, King of Swaziland Mswati III, Timor Leste's President Taur Matan Ruak and Zimbabwean President Robert Gabriel Mugabe were among the heads of state who participated in the walk which started at 9.20am. Najib then performed the Friday prayer with Jokowi and Muslims delegates at Raya Bandung Mosque before returning to Kuala Lumpur from Bandara Husein Sastranegara International Airport. The anniversary celebrations of the Asia-Africa Conference and the New Asia-Africa Strategic Partnership brought leaders from 109 countries. The celebrations began with Asia-Africa Ministerial Meeting from April 20 to and 21, followed by the Asia-Africa Summit, themed 'Strengthening South-South Cooperation to Promote World Peace and Prosperity' from April 22 to 23 in Jakarta. The first Asia-Africa conference jointly organised by five countries, namely India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka was held here in 1955. The conference became the symbol of partnership and solidarity among the Asian and African countries. --BERNAMA