President Bush Agrees on Additional Aid
Wednesday, 22 November, 2006 | 16:22 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and US President George W. Bush resulted in an agreement of additional aid for Indonesia as well as cooperation in various sectors.

As for the newest aid on health and corruption eradication, America has promised to disburse US$55 million, or around Rp500 billion.

This aid will be extended through the Millennium Challenge Account program and this had been agreed to by the Board of Directors of the program on 25 October.

Nevertheless, the memorandum of understanding was only just been signed in Bogor two days ago.

Most of the funds, US$35 million, will be used for handling matters related to mother and child health care.

“As for anti-corruption activities, the aid provided will be US$20 million,” said Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari after a Coordinating Meeting of the National Commission for Handling AIDS at Jakarta yesterday (11/21).

The anti-corruption funds will be utilized for: training judges; training for supervising officials’ wealth; and publicizing verdicts of the Supreme Court.

The implementation of the health aid and the anti-corruption activities will be led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“America has been helping us like this since around five years ago, often through USAID,” said Fadilah.

America has also made a commitment to increase aid in the education and health sectors in general.

According to Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie, total US aid for both sectors will be US$395.4 million.

As much as US$238.4 million is intended for the health sector and US$157 million for the education sector.

“The most important thing is that there must be clear accountability however much the aid is,” he said.

Indonesia and America also signed other memorandums of understanding (MoU) in various sectors such as illegal logging, democracy, biofuel, plus customs and excise.

“All signed MoUs were agreements that have been previously prepared,” said Harry Purwanto, Director of US Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday (11/21).

INDRA MR | TITIES | IMRON ROSYID | EWO RASWA