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.