30 March 2021
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Pretoria, South Africa as chairperson of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee (APC) 2021 organized the ASEAN Golf Day 2021 held on March 30, 2021.
The friendly golf competition took place at the Blue Valley Golf Estate, Midrand, and was carried out through strict health protocol. The ASEAN Golf Day was attended by 40 participants, consisting of Ambassadors and representatives of ASEAN countries also friendly countries in Pretoria, also the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, and the Department of Human Settlements of South Africa.
South African Deputy Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Alvin Botes, opened the friendly tournament with a first tee off at 08.00 am. Indonesian nuance is very vibrant in the Blue Valley golf course with various Indonesian ornaments.
In a friendly session the Indonesian Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Mr. Salman Al Farisi, stated that South Africa’s accession to the 2020 ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation marked South Africa’s desire to get closer to ASEAN.
The Ambassador as a Chairman of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee hopes that the 2021 ASEAN Golf Day will further strengthen relations and cooperation between ASEAN and South Africa. On that occasion, Deputy Foreign Minister Botes said that South Africa would ensure ASEAN as an important partner and part of South Africa’s strategy to achieve mutually beneficial cooperation such as education. Deputy Foreign Minister Botes also emphasized Indonesia’s important role in building South-South solidarity, among others through the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Indonesian Embassy in Pretoria also took advantage of the ASEAN Golf Day event to promote Indonesian products which are available in the South African market, such as instant noodle products, beverages, biscuits, sweets, medicines, and coconut products. During the event, Indonesian coffee tasting was also served. Not only promoting export products, but the Indonesian Embassy also serves Indonesian culinary delights, such as fried rice, beef satay, lamb satay, and prawn crackers. The ASEAN Golf Day 2021 was enlivened by distributing prizes and door prizes to the participants sponsored by the Indonesian Defense Attache Office, the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center, BMW South Africa, and Indomie.
The ASEAN Pretoria Committee is an association of ASEAN countries that has representatives at the Ambassador level in Pretoria, South Africa. Currently, there are 7 ASEAN member countries in Pretoria, namely the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. In the first semester of 2021, Indonesia served as chairman of the APC. APC always tries to raise the image of ASEAN to be better known among the people of South Africa. APC also encourages closer cooperation between ASEAN countries and South Africa in various fields which are of strategic interest to both parties.
Source:The Embassy of Indonesia, Pretoria