AusAID helps public sector institutions

JAKARTA (JP): The Australian government's development assistance agency, AusAID, officially launched on Tuesday a A$5.5 million technical assistance package for Indonesia to help improve the country's public sector institutions.

The Australia Indonesia Technical Assistance Management Facility (TAMF) involves transfer of skills from Australian experts and advisors to Indonesian government officials through on-the-job training in Indonesian and Australian government offices.

"It will also involve short-term placement of Indonesian government officials in the departments and agencies of the Australian government," TAMF Jakarta manager Geoff Forrester said at the launching of the aid package.

The above picture shows Australian Ambassador to Indonesia John McCarthy (center) and noted economist Sri Mulyani Indrawati (left) and the vice chairman of the National Development Planning Board (Bapenas) Djunaedi Hadisumarto discussing the aid package after the launching ceremony.

Forrester said funds from the two-year program also would be used to sponsor relevant seminars and workshops in Indonesia.

"TAMF is concrete evidence of the willingness of the Australian government to provide practical, effective support for the economic reform agenda of the Indonesian government," McCarthy said during the ceremony.

TAMF, already in operation for nine weeks, has helped the Ministry of Finance in its preparations for the decentralization of the central government to the provincial regions.

AusAID said the package also would assist the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Manpower, Capital Market Supervisory Agency, a debt restructuring team in the central bank, the Supreme Audit board and the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency.

Sri Mulyani said Indonesia needed not only the disbursement of the fund commitment but more importantly to witness real changes from its use. (udi)