10 years ago, Indonesia hosted heads of states and foreign ministers across the Asia and Africa continent to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference and bring up the strategic partnership between Asia and Africa. This year, in the 70^th anniversary, Indonesia has not held such an event. Here are things that Indonesia misses by putting aside the Asia Africa Conference spirit on Indonesia's foreign policy priority.

The Asia-Africa Conference is Indonesia's diplomacy and foreign policy genesis. By conducting the Asia-Africa conference in 1955, Indonesia stood to voice its aspirations for decolonization and bring together the countries in Asia and Africa continents to refuse to be trapped by great power politics under the Cold War contest. The 29 countries that attended the conference reached a consensus called Dasasila Bandung Principles that highlights mutual interests and major concerns such as human rights, sovereignty, non-interference, equality, international law and norms, world peace, and the prospect of cooperation. Those points are strongly associated with Indonesia's Independent and Active principles that always underlie Indonesia's foreign policy. The principles emphasize Indonesia's independence in conducting its foreign policy based on its national interests and freedom from external influence, especially from great powers in the Cold War Context. It also refuses to be passive and neutral in the international context, but it actively promotes its national interests, such as world peace and stability, self-determination rights, and international cooperation. Yes, it is historical and nostalgic, but the spirit is still there and arguably relevant nowadays. Remembering the Asia Africa Conference means celebrating Indonesia's diplomacy.

The spirit of Dasasila Bandung has evolved and inspired other kinds of multilateralism between developing countries. The Non-Aligned Movement was the direct child of Dasasila Bandung, the organization that established and held its first conference in Belgrade in 1961. Today, with 121 member states, the organization consistently represents developing countries' voices built upon Dasasila Bandung principles. The spirit is also highly related to the establishment of G77, the group of developing countries that have worked together since 1965 to promote their collective economic interests within the United Nations system. Dasasila Bandung also evolved into concrete action such as South-South Cooperation, which organizes cooperation and exchange between countries in the Southern part of the world. The term "South" represents developing countries with a similar history colonized by the Northern powers. Furthermore, BRICS also claims to represent developing countries and be a mechanism of cooperation among Global South countries. It is committed to creating more inclusive international economic cooperation based on multilateralism, which aligns with the Dasasila Bandung spirit. With their new expansion, including Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, the BRICS color is getting thicker with developing countries from Asia and Africa. Dasasila Bandung also inspired regional groupings such as ASEAN with its non-interference principle and other regional cooperation such as the League of Arab States, African Union, The Pacific Alliance, etc. Reviving Dasasila Bandung is a call for developing countries' multilateralism.

The Global South countries, especially in Asia and Africa, are the victims of a tariff war and other global challenges. Under its “liberation day” jargon, the Trump reciprocal tariff has hardly hit the global south countries. It includes 42 countries in the Asia and Africa Region. If we exclude China, the highest tariff is charged toward Lesotho with 50% and Cambodia with 49% tariff, Indonesia itself will be imposed 32% of the tariff. The average tariff imposed on Asian and African countries (excluding China) is 29.3 %. This reflects on the one hand that global south commodities will be hard to penetrate in the United States market. On the other hand, with the retaliation of China, China will try to find new markets to relocate its goods, and it will be countries in Asia and Africa that, in the last five years, surge up as the implication of infrastructure development under China Belt and Road initiatives. The tsunami of Chinese goods will threaten the domestic industries of those countries in the Global South. The Global South is also a victim of other global challenges, such as climate change. The high production of carbon in industrialized countries has impacted developing countries on the southern side of the world, including Indonesia. They are trapped in extreme weather, food security, and health issues. It seems that the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must. The necessity to reunite the global south countries and voice their vulnerable voices is more necessary than before, and the Asia and Africa Conference is suitable for that.

Moreover, solidarity is a must to support Palestine. The Palestine issue is a legacy of homework left over from the Asia Africa conference in 1955. Until now, Palestine has not become an independent country. Worse still, they are currently victims of genocide. Asian and African countries' stance is diverse based on political interests and linkages. It is necessary to rebuild solidarity among Asia and African countries in the name of humanity, decolonization, and world peace, as stated in Dasasila Bandung, to give solutions to Palestinian issues. It makes the Asia and Africa Conference becoming relevant today.

On the Indonesian side, President Prabowo is keen on Indonesia to promote the interests of the global South. Prabowo called his major foreign policy a "good neighbor policy," reflecting friendly relations with all countries from non-aligned traditions. Under this vision, Indonesia will represent and bridge the global South with the global North. This position was stated repeatedly, including in the decision to join the BRICS, during the D8 Summit, the G20 Summit, the APEC Summit, and several bilateral dialogues with its partners. This vision is highly related to the spirit of the Asia Africa Conference, which represents the voice of the Global South. Doing nothing to commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the Asia Africa Conference, Indonesia misses the moment to voice Prabowo's "good neighbor policy" and its aspiration for the global South.

Given the complexities of the Global South countries in Asia and Africa, with their diverse characters, overstretched territories, divergent ideologies, different interests, and lack of unity, the moments of the Asia and Africa Conference this year are more necessary if we compare them with those of 2015. Indonesia may miss the chance. Hopefully, the spirit will still be there even if there are no diplomatic celebrations. It only takes leadership to bring together countries in Asia and Africa Region and the greater Global South again to survive and refuse to suffer for today and more uncertainty ahead.