JAKARTA (INDONESIA):  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina co-chaired the fourth plenary session of ongoing Asian-African Conference on Thursday.

Egypt premier Ibrahim Mehbub was the other co-chair of the session held in Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Centre in Indonesia capital Jakarta.

Libya’s House of Representative president Akila Saleh Eissa, the Philippines vice-president Jejomar C Binay, Malaysia communication and multimedia minister Shabery Cheek, adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Sartaj Aziz and Nigeria foreign minister Aminu Bashir Wali, among others, are participating in the discussion.

During the session, they discussed the strategies to overcome common challenges and accelerate the pace of economic development in both continents through stronger South-South cooperation.

Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to have bilateral talks with Indonesian president Joko Widodo, Palestine premier Dr Rami Hamdalllahar and Nepal PM Sushil Koirala.

Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, Prime Minster’s Office (PMO) secretary Suraiya Begum, foreign secretary M Shahidul Haque, prime minister’s press secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury and first Bangladesh ambassador to Indonesia Nazmul Quaunine will accompany the premier at the meetings.

Earlier, the premier met China president Xi Jinping and Indonesia former president Megawati Sukarnoputri on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina also met Qatar deputy prime minister Ahmad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud, Singapore premier Lee Hsien Loong, Myanmar president Thein Sein and Japan PM Shinzō Abe.

She will leave Jakarta for home this afternoon by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

BDST: 1238 HRS, APR 23, 2015
BD/RR/SMS