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.