RI welcomes Clinton's appointment

RI welcomes Clinton's appointment

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The appointment of former U.S. president Bill Clinton as the
United Nations special envoy for tsunami relief will accelerate
the realization of billions of dollars in aid pledged to
Indonesia and other affected countries, a foreign affairs
official says.

"We welcome the UN Secretary General (Kofi Annan)'s decision.
(A man of) Clinton's stature will help sustain the world's
interest especially during the reconstruction phase of the
tsunami-hit areas," ministry spokesman Yuri Thamrin said in
Jakarta on Friday.

Annan named Clinton as a special envoy for tsunami relief on
Tuesday.

Clinton's mandate is to focus on the reconstruction of
devastated areas and ensure that the international community
remains engaged for the long term.

He is currently raising money for victims of the Dec. 26
disaster after President George W. Bush chose him and former
president George Bush, to head a nongovernmental fund-raising
effort in the United States.

The Clinton Foundation last month also launched a US$45
million appeal in tandem with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to
provide clean water and sanitation in tsunami-ravaged areas.

Despite the pledges, after more than a month much aid promised
by international donors has yet to become a reality.

While some of the biggest donors -- Australia, the United
States and Japan -- have promised more than US$1 billion to
Indonesia between them, much of it is conditional and over the
longer term.

Yuri said the government was still drafting a plan for Aceh's
reconstruction. Once finished, it would be provided to the donor
countries for perusal so they could participate in the
reconstruction process.

"This is about appealing to their humanitarian sensibilities
in the rehabilitation phase of Aceh -- but the most important
thing is that they (the donors) realize their promises," he said.

"The challenge now is how to make a credible plan and offer it
to the donor countries so that they can feel sure about
disbursing their money to Indonesia," he said.

The National Development Planning Agency and World Bank are
currently analyzing the impact of the disaster and calculating
the aid needed for the reconstruction.