President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will join more than 50 other heads of governments from Asia and Africa who will attend the 2005 Asian-African Summit in Jakarta on April 21-23.

Jointly hosted by Indonesia and South Africa, the summit to be held at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center, aims to foster political, economic, social and cultural cooperation between and among countries and peoples of Asia and Africa.

The summit has adopted as its theme, "Reinvigorating the Bandung Spirit: Working Towards a New Asian-African Strategic Partnership." It will be co-chaired by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and South African President Thabo Mbeki.

The summit participants will be addressed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Aside from the heads of governments from Asian and African countries, the summit will also be participated in by executive officers from regional and sub-regional organizations in Asia and Africa, international organizations, multilateral and regional institutions, representatives of key donor countries and observers from countries outside Asia and Africa.

A series of meetings among Asian and African senior officials and ministers preceded the summit.

The Asian and African leaders are expected to formally launch the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) to substantiate the firm commitment of Asian-African nations in working together towards a better future, and presage the emergence of closer cooperation among them.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will participate in the Golden Jubilee commemoration of the Asian-African Conference (AAC) on April 23 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The 50^th anniversary rites of the AAC, otherwise known as Bandung Conference, will cap the Asian-African Summit 2005 scheduled on April 21-23 at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center in the Indonesian capital.

The Philippines was one of the original 20 participant countries in the historic Bandung Conference in 1955.

The AAC Golden Jubilee rites were originally planned to be held in Bandung where the Asian-African Conference took place on April 24, 1955. However, organizers of the summit later decided to hold the commemorative celebrations in Jakarta.

Bandung is four hours by train from Jakarta.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will address the anniversary rites which will be attended by some 50 heads of states from Africa and Asia, including President Arroyo.

Among the commemorative activities are a historic walk by the heads of states and tree planting at a designated "Asia-Africa Forest" that will symbolize closer cooperation among Asian and African nations.

During the AAC Golden Jubilee celebrations, Indonesia will also host several other events, including the Asian-African Business Summit, the Symposium on Renewable Energy of Asia and Africa, the Workshop on the Role of Women and Youth in furthering Asian-African cooperation, and a trade fair.

JAKARTA – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo faces a hectic schedule in this Indonesian capital once she arrives here Thursday afternoon for the April 21-23 Asian-African Leaders’ Summit.

The Asian-African Summit will be a gathering of 102 leaders from the two continents, including United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Of the total number, 85 are full participants, including 47 heads of states and six vice presidents.

The rest are executives of regional and subregional organizations and multilateral and donor agencies.

An hour after her scheduled 4:30 p.m. arrival today from Manila, President Arroyo will meet with the Filipino community in Jakarta at the Shangri-La Hotel here where she and her small party will be billeted.

On Friday, her second day here, her schedule will be particularly hectic. The summit will formally begin at 9:00 a.m. with opening statements by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudyohono and South African President Thabo M. Mbeki.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will then deliver his address, followed by the report of the Asian-African Ministerial meeting to be rendered by Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda.

At 11 a.m., President Arroyo will be one of two principal speakers at the Asian-African Business Summit at the Mulia Hotel here on the theme "Managing for Global Competition: Asian Perspective." The other speaker is Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Long.

Her speech will be followed by a forum discussion on the theme "Dynamics of Asian-African Economies: Challenges of Reform and Wealth Creation."

After her stint with the Asian-African Business Summit and lunch, President Arroyo will return to the Leaders’ Summit for its second plenary where she will again be one of several speakers.

The afternoon plenary will be capped by a dinner hosted by the Indonesian President at his Istana Merdeka (Presidential Palace).

The summit’s fourth plenary on Saturday will be followed by a series of side bilateral talks and side meetings which President Arroyo will hold with heads of states of several countries.

Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia Shulan Primavera said arrangements for the bilateral talks with Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi had already been finalized.

Tunisia is a major oil producer and a member of the influential Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Primavera said arrangements for bilateral talks between President Arroyo and the heads of states of Ghana, Libya, Nigeria and Mongolia are still being worked out.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo left this afternoon for Jakarta, Indonesia to attend the three-day Asian-African Summit which formally opens Friday at the Hilton Convention Center in the Indonesian capital.

The summit of Asian and African leaders from April 21 to 23 is expected to produce agreements on the strengthening of relations between the African and Asian countries, particularly in the areas of trade and commerce in an era of globalization.

After the send-off ceremonies, the President left Villamor Air Base on board a chartered Philippine Airlines plane at 2 p.m. for the three hours flight to Jakarta.

The President and her small party of government officials and businessmen were expected to arrive in Jakarta at 5:00 p.m. today.

The Chief Executive’s first schedule in Jakarta is a meeting with members of the Filipino community at the Shangri-la Hotel where she and the Philippine delegation is billeted.

She is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with some of the leaders of the countries taking part in the summit.

The President is expected to call on the leaders of the participating countries to band together in a united quest for ways to mitigate the ill effects of the continuing oil price hikes, especially on developing nations.

JAKARTA—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the members of the lean Philippine delegation to the Asian-African Leader’s Summit here can expect a safe sojourn in Jakarta with the extensive security preparations undertaken by the Indonesian police and military.

Col. Nonato Alfredo Peralta, defense attaché with the Philippine Embassy here, said the Indonesian government has fielded at least 24,000 police, military and civilian security officers to secure the dignitaries and guests attending the Asian-African Summit and Asian-African Conference Golden Jubilee rites here.

Peralta said the Indonesian security agencies have undertaken serious and massive security operations, including raids that netted at least 71 persons arrested.

Security rehearsals have also been undertaken in and outside Jakarta, including the Sukarno Airport and Halim Airport which are both being used to accommodate the aircraft of the 51 heads of states and six vice presidents who will attend the summit .

Also secured are hotels where the foreign dignitaries are billeted and the various sites of the Asian-African summit as well as the parallel Business Summit which President Arroyo will address.

President Arroyo and her party which includes Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye, Deputy Executive Secretary Susana Vargas, Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Linglingay Lacanlale, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Norberto Basilio, and Philippine Ambassador to South Africa Virgilio Reyes will be billeted at the Jakarta Shangri-La hotel.

Also billeted at the same hotel are Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Policy Sonia C. Brady.