"Thank God, both parties have signed the agreement, which will be valid until 2027," said Rustian, Secretary of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), on Wednesday.
He and Gita Kamath, Australian Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia, signed the agreement during the commemoration of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Month in Banda Aceh, Aceh.
Rustian explained that the extension is based on the success of the initial cooperation from 2020 to 2024.
In the future, the cooperation is expected to be more effective and to expand into additional regions of Indonesia, he added.
He mentioned that, so far, the disaster preparedness program has been implemented in four Indonesian provinces: East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara.
Rustian emphasized that the agreement reflects the strong relationship between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Kamath expressed Australia's appreciation for Indonesia, particularly in their joint efforts in disaster risk management.
She described the program as a partnership aimed at enhancing Indonesia’s ability to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, while also strengthening humanitarian cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
The program aligns with Indonesia’s Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), the National Disaster Management Plan, and the Australian Government's Humanitarian Strategy.
It involves partnerships with the BNPB, various Indonesian ministries, local governments, and civil society organizations.
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Translator: Rahmat Fajri, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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