Zoellick inks $73.7m aid package for RI<\/p>\n
Ivy Susanti, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A top U.S. envoy said Indonesia should further improve its
\ndomestic business and investment climate as part of efforts to
\nstrengthen trade ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick signed
\non Saturday an agreement to provide US$73.7 million in economic
\ndevelopment aid to help Indonesia achieve those goals. The aid
\nwill help the government strengthen its anticorruption program,
\nincrease competitiveness in key sectors and help create financial
\nstability.<\/p>\n
\"We want to emphasize that our partnership with Indonesia
\nextends far beyond the certainly important work that we have in
\nthe aftermath of tsunami and the earthquake,\" Zoellick said,
\nreferring to ongoing post-disaster efforts in Aceh and on Nias.<\/p>\n
\"This project in particular helps develop capacity in some
\nimportant areas. It has support for trade capacity building, so
\nthat Indonesia can strengthen its ability to take part in
\ninternational trade negotiations, figure out the particular
\nbenefits from them and then implement them in a way that gains
\nadvantage for the people of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"It helps create the infrastructure for growth and reform,\"
\nthe former U.S. trade representative said after the signing
\nceremony with State Minister for National Development Planning
\nSri Mulyani Indrawati.<\/p>\n
The agreement is part of a five-year United States Agency for
\nInternational Development (USAID) strategy to help the country to
\nstrengthen democracy and local governance, improve basic
\neducation and public services and boost economic growth to cut
\nunemployment. Over the course of five years, USAID will provide
\n$750 million in assistance to Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Zoellick said part of the aid would be used to help set up an
\nanticorruption court \"to draw support for investment\".<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Zoellick met with President Susilo Bambang
\nYudhoyono and several ministers.<\/p>\n
Presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said Susilo discussed
\nvarious issues with Zoellick during a 45-minute meeting at the
\nState Palace, including Susilo's plan to visit the U.S. from May
\n25 through May 26.<\/p>\n
\"One of the most significant issues of the meeting was
\nIndonesia's role in Southeast Asia. This issue will be discussed
\nwhen Susilo meets with (President George) Bush in Washington,\"
\nDino said.<\/p>\n
Zoellick said he was eager to see Indonesia take more of a
\nleadership role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
\n(ASEAN).<\/p>\n
\"I hope and believe that ASEAN can play a larger role in the
\npolitical, economic and security context in the Asian region,
\nfrom South Asia to Northeast Asia. Frankly, for ASEAN to play
\nthat role, it really requires that Indonesia take its traditional
\nplace in terms of guiding the ASEAN process.<\/p>\n
\"For a very understandable reason, that hasn't really occurred
\nsince 1997 because of the preoccupation with the political
\nprocess and change. I found the President and his team are very
\ninterested in reestablishing the Indonesian role in the ASEAN
\ncontext,\" Zoellick said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/zoellick-inks-737m-aid-package-for-ri-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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