Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has set an ambitious two-year timeline to eliminate extreme poverty in the country, according to Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar.

"We are especially targeting the eradication of extreme poverty. We aim to reduce overall poverty to a maximum of 5 percent," he noted in a statement issued on Tuesday.

He made this statement during the "Dialogue with Village Heads, Village Assistants, and the Community in Poverty Alleviation" in Wonosobo, Central Java.

Iskandar emphasized the government's commitment to strengthening efforts to address poverty in Indonesia.

He explained that reducing poverty is a government goal, with extreme poverty eradication being a priority under President Prabowo Subianto's administration.

He remarked that Wonosobo is one of the government's priority areas for poverty reduction.

Iskandar called on the district government to mobilize resources effectively, from village heads to village assistants, to eradicate poverty.

He also urged regional governments to collaborate with ministries and institutions for significant poverty reduction.

"I ask all related ministries to improve infrastructure, enhance efforts to build human resources, and ensure access to direct assistance," he said, adding that these initiatives should be part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty.

Data from Statistics Indonesia shows that in 2024, Wonosobo had a poverty rate of 15.28 percent and an extreme poverty rate of 1.26 percent.

During the event, Iskandar held a dialogue with village heads, village assistants, and communities regarding ongoing poverty alleviation efforts.

He urged active participation in government empowerment programs, emphasizing their importance in ensuring the success of poverty alleviation efforts.

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Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Katriana
Editor: Anton Santoso
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