A long-standing commitment to Tsunami victims

A long-standing commitment to Tsunami victims

The Netherlands will make 200 million euros available for
reconstruction aid for the Tsunami victims. In the next five
years Indonesia and Sri Lanka, both long-standing development
partners of the Netherlands, will receive extra support to deal
with the long term reconstruction work in the stricken areas.

To maximize transparency, accountability and efficiency, Dutch
development minister Agnes Van Ardenne has chosen to pledge US$60
million for 2005 in grant resources to a major new donor trust
fund that was launched earlier this week in Jakarta.

This multi-donor trust fund pools aid resources in support of
the Government's rehabilitation and reconstruction program for
Aceh and North Sumatra. It was created to accelerate
implementation of the recovery blueprint by providing effective
and sustainable coordinated grant financing which will not add to
the administrative burden of the Indonesian government.

Through the trust fund the Dutch government will select
projects and areas in close cooperation with the Indonesian
government, participating donors and Aceh civil society
organizations. Projects will focus on water, sanitation and
education - all areas in which the Netherlands has lengthy
expertise. In addition, the Netherlands will help fund tsunami
early warning systems.

However, monitoring rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts
with an estimated total cost of US$4.5 billion will indeed make
great demands on the audit systems. Therefore, the Netherlands,
together with the Asian Development Bank, has decided to further
bolster the Indonesian auditor's office, BPK.

By working in close cooperation with the Indonesian
government, local authorities, and with other donors, and by
helping the Indonesian government to monitor the reconstruction
process properly, the Netherlands is showing its firm commitment
to the people of Indonesia and its willingness to help them
overcome this terrible tragedy.