Australia to open honorary consulate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Australian Ambassador to Indonesia John McCarthy is
\nscheduled to install Barry Cooke as Australian honorary consul
\nfor East Kalimantan during a reception to be held in Balikpapan
\non Monday, it was announced Friday.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted the Australian embassy as saying in a statement
\nthat the honorary consulate in Balikpapan is the second to be
\nopened in the country this year, following the launching of the
\nfirst in Medan, North Sumatra last October.<\/p>\n
Australia has had a consulate in Bali since 1981 and is
\nplanning to open four more honorary consulates in Surabaya (East
\nJava), Kupang (East Nusa Tenggara), Ambon (Maluku), and
\nUjungpandang (South Sulawesi).<\/p>\n
Barry Cooke is logistics superintendent of PT Arutmin
\nIndonesia, a company belonging to the BHP Group.<\/p>\n
The resident Australian population in Balikpapan comprises
\nabout 150 families, many of whom represent large companies.
\nThose employed are working at mining sites in the hinterland of
\nEast Kalimantan and use Balikpapan as a base.<\/p>\n
While in Balikpapan, McCarthy will also observe the
\nAustralian-funded Food-for-Work project, which is part of
\nAustralia's A$ 60 million humanitarian aid package in response to
\nIndonesia's economic crisis.<\/p>\n
The project, run by the United Nations World Food Program
\n(WFP), began earlier this year when Australia donated wheat worth
\nA$ 16 million.<\/p>\n
Under the arrangement with the WFP, the wheat was exchanged
\nfor 28,000 tons of rice to be drawn from government warehouses
\nclose to where food is most needed, the statement said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-to-open-honorary-consulate-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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