US-AEP aids Indonesia

JAKARTA (JP): The United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP), an interagency program led by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is to contribute US$750,000 to the country's social safety-net programs as part of its efforts to help Indonesia recover from its worst-ever crisis.

U.S. Ambassador Stapleton Roy signed memoranda of understanding with two local nonprofit organizations, Friends of the Environment Fund (Dana Mitra Lingkungan) and the Indonesian Society of Sanitary and Environmental Engineers (Ikatan Ahli Teknik Penyehatan dan Teknik Lingkungan Indonesia) on Tuesday on the distribution of the aid.

Roy said that the agreements reflected the United States' support for efforts to strengthen Indonesia's social safety net and to speed economic recovery.

"The current USAID program will more than double in size this year, growing to more than $125 million," he said.

The US-AEP has allocated $350,000 to the Eco-Productivity Outreach Crops and Waste Exchange Program with the aim of assisting small and medium industries contribute to the country's economic recovery.

Part of the US-AEP's financial commitment in this program was a $100,000 grant to Dana Mitra Lingkungan. (aly)