Mega criticized for not attending aid conference
Mega criticized for not attending aid conference
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development (INFID) said on
Tuesday that the country missed a golden opportunity to seek the
help of developed nations in resolving its pressing debt and
economic problems because of the absence of President Megawati
Soekarnoputri at last month's International Conference on
Financing for Development in Mexico.
INFID deputy executive secretary Sugeng Bahagijo also
criticized the government for sending relatively low-ranking
delegates to the conference, which was attended by world leaders.
"It's a pity that our President did not attend the meeting ...
She instead went to Korea which we think was not the right
priority diplomatically," Sugeng said.
Megawati is currently on an overseas tour which included a
visit to South Korea and North Korea.
INFID attended the conference, which was held in Mexico's
Monterrey city.
"The conference was aimed at accommodating the interests of
the less-developed and the developing countries, including
Indonesia. Don't pretend that we don't have a debt problem or
economic problems," Sugeng said.
According to Sugeng, the conference offered many
opportunities, studies and ideas that could help the government
in negotiation with foreign creditors including to push for a
debt relief facility.
As an example he cited a seminar held by NGO the Washington
Group about alternatives for Indonesia's debt settlement instead
of through the traditional Paris Club mechanism.
Elsewhere, Sugeng said that the conference reached a consensus
that developed countries should allocate 0.7 percent of their GNP
(Gross National Product) to help poor countries through an
Official Development Assistance (ODA), a soft-term loan facility.
He added that the conference also agreed to find a new
mechanism to overcome the debt problems of developing countries
including Indonesia.
Sugeng said that the Monterrey conference also promised an
international treaty that guaranteed the repatriation of ill-
gotten funds deposited in banks in developed nations.