Japan, Australia to extend food aid to Indonesia
Japan, Australia to extend food aid to Indonesia
JAKARTA (JP): Japan is to extend 400,000 metric tons of rice
aid to Indonesia over the next few months, while Australia will
send another 11,000 tons of wheat by the end of this year,
reports said on Thursday.
A Japanese foreign ministry official was quoted by AFP as
saying in Tokyo that half of the rice would be sent from Japan
and would later be gradually returned by Indonesia.
Indonesia will import the rest of the rice from other
countries using yen loans provided by Japan, he added.
"The rice aid is in response to a request from Indonesian
President (B.J.) Habibie in August," the official said.
Japan promised 150 billion yen (US$ 1.3 billion) in loans to
Jakarta in July.
Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry
Ginandjar Kartasasmita arrived in Tokyo on Thursday on a snap
visit to discuss a US$30 billion Japanese aid program for
Southeast Asia and South Korea.
He was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and
to hold talks with foreign minister Masahiko Komura on Friday.
Meanwhile, Antara reported that Australia would send 11,000
metric tons of wheat worth A$7 million to Indonesia. The food aid
was organized as emergency assistance under the World Food
Program and is expected to arrive before the end of December
1998.
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in Canberra
that Indonesia had been informed of the aid through State
Minister of Food and Horticulture A.M. Saefuddin.
The program, to be organized by AusAID, will seek to help the
poorest and most malnourished contingent population, Downer said.
"As an all-weather friend, Australia remains committed to
helping Indonesia overcome these difficult times," he said.
Earlier this year Australia sent 45,000 metric tons of wheat.
The new aid brings total assistance provided to Indonesia by
Australia to A$60 million, according to the news agency.
Meanwhile, Saefuddin said in Melbourne on Tuesday that
Indonesia's food supply is expected to return to normal by the
year 2002.
"It could be sooner if the economic recovery, which is already
beginning, runs speedily and smoothly," Saefuddin, who was on a
three-day visit to Australia, said.
Saefuddin arrived in Melbourne on Monday to discuss an
Australian food aid program. He also met with the Indonesia-
Australia Business Council on Tuesday.
On Thursday, the Indonesian and Victoria State governments
signed an agreement to cooperate in the food industry and work to
develop research and human resources in the field of food
technology.
"It is a follow-up on a memorandum of understanding signed
between the Indonesian government and the State Government of
Victoria in June 1996 by then food minister Ibrahim Hasan and
Victoria State Food Minister Patrick McNamara," Saefuddin said.
The aim of the agreement was to speed up development of
Indonesia's food industry, encourage business and trade
activities in food products and encourage human resource
development in food technology and food control, said the
minister.
"Therefore I have come to Australia accompanied by 29
businesspeople from the food industry and the food retail trade,"
Saefuddin said.
Among notable business people in the delegation are Eva R.
Hutapea, president director of PT Indofood Sukses Makmur, Franky
Welirang, director of PT Bogasari, Steve Sondakh, director of PT
Hero Supermarket and Adi Goenawan, director of PT Charoen
Pokphan. (byg)