Forty five African ambassadors and representatives of African embassies in Jakarta, Tokyo, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi and Singapore are attending the Indonesian- African Partnership Dialog (IAPD) started on Sunday in Batam of Indonesian Riau province, according to Indonesian foreign Ministry.

Organized by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, the three-day meeting will discuss efforts to develop partnership and bilateral relations between African countries and Indonesia, Antara news agency quoted the African Directorate of the Foreign Ministry as saying.

The Indonesian government has paid greater attention to the development of relations with African countries, especially since the launching of New Asian-African Strategic Partnership at the Asian-African summit meeting in April 2005, with Indonesia and South Africa as cochairmen.

The 53 countries in Africa have a significant and strategic position in Indonesian political and economic policies, according to the African Directorate of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry.

They have supported Indonesia to win non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and in the maintenance of Indonesian sovereignty, national unity and integrity. Moreover, Africa is a non-traditional market for Indonesia's export commodities, the Ministry said.

The current IAPD meeting in Batam is intended to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between African countries and Indonesia in political, economic, security, development and socio- cultural relations between the African countries and Indonesia.

Source: Xinhua