Finnish minister to visit Indonesia to boost economic and trade ties
Finnish minister to visit Indonesia to boost economic and trade ties
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Finland's Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari
Kiviniemi will visit Indonesia from Oct. 8 to Oct. 11, 2005 to
strengthen economic and trade relations between the two
countries, the Finnish Embassy in Jakarta said.
"During her three-day visit, Kiviniemi will meet with
Coordinating Minister for the Economy Aburizal Bakrie, Minister
of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu and other senior Indonesian
officials," the embassy said in a press release sent to The
Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The 37-year-old Kiviniemi, who is also the Minister at the
Prime Minister's Office, is bringing a big Finnish business
delegation with her.
"The minister will visit Banda Aceh on Saturday to get
acquainted with the reconstruction efforts following the tsunami
disaster. She will meet the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction
Agency for Aceh and Nias (BRR) chairman Kuntoro Mangkusubroto,
Aceh acting governor Azwar Abubakar, UN agencies and members of
the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM)," Finland's Ambassador to
Indonesia Markku Niinioja told the Post.
Finland played a key role in facilitating the historic talks
in Helsinki between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh
Movement (GAM) rebels. The two parties signed a memorandum of
understanding to end hostilities in Aceh.
According to Ambassador Niinioja, Kiviniemi and Aburizal will
open a Finnish-Indonesian Business Forum on Monday and an
exhibition on Finnish society and economy in Jakarta.
"Kiviniemi will also sign an agreement with World Bank country
director Andrew D. Steer on Finland's contribution of 8 million
euros (US$10 million) to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Aceh and
North Sumatra on Monday evening," Niinioja said.
Finland, a small but rich country in northern Europe, has
pledged 50 million euros ($61 million) for the tsunami-affected
countries in Asia, including Indonesia. Of this amount some 30
million euros are for reconstruction. Aceh itself will get 8
million euros from Finland through the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
Finland also contributed 3 million euros to the Food and
Agriculture Organization and another 2 million euros to the
International Labor Organization (ILO).