UNDP aids Indonesia

UNDP aids Indonesia

JAKARTA: The United Nations Development Program has granted
$1.53 million in grant to help strengthen Indonesia's disaster
management capacities.

The cooperation agreement was signed on Wednesday between UNDP
resident representative C. Jan Kamp and Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Azwar Anas, who also chairs the National
Coordinating Board for Disaster Management (Bakornas). Some
$300,000 of the funds will be disbursed in the first year.

The project aims to strengthen the organization and management
of Bakornas Secretariat and its capacity for implementing the
National Strategic Plan for Disaster Management, UNDP announced
yesterday.

Under the project, the agency will conduct pilot activities in
two disaster prone districts -- Minahasa in North Sulawesi and
Sikka in East Nusa Tenggara. The project will evaluate the
results of the pilot activities and prepare a national
dissemination plan for disaster management.