Australia is committed to increasing aid to Indonesia to help accelerate progress against the Millennium Development Goals,"
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Director General of the Australian Government`s aid program (AusAID), Peter Baxter, is in Indonesia to strengthen Australia`s development cooperation with the archipelago and to see firsthand results from Australia`s largest bilateral program.

This financial year, 2011-12, Australia has allocated A$558.1 million to improving poverty outcomes for the 110 million Indonesians living on or under US$2 a day, the Australian Embassy here said in media release on Tuesday.

During his visit, Baxter will meet senior government officials including Indonesia?s Minister for National Development Planning, Prof. Dr Armida Alisjahbana. He will also travel to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to view activities supported by the Australian aid program.

"As a neighbour and partner Indonesia will remain one of our largest programs. Australia is committed to increasing aid to Indonesia to help accelerate progress against the Millennium Development Goals," Baxter said.

"I am looking forward to my visit to Kalimantan and seeing the real outcomes Australian aid is achieving in Indonesia," added Baxter.

In Kalimantan, Baxter plans to visit a number of village projects supported by Indonesia?s National Community Empowerment Program (PNPM). Australia has committed A$215 million over five years to this program.

"I am looking forward to seeing Australia`s work with communities to create jobs and improve access to health, education and infrastructure," said Baxter.

The Director General also plans to visit households that now have access to clean piped water and better sewerage connections thanks to Australia?s help. This is part of Australia?s support to provide 77,000 water and 5,000 sewerage connections for poor urban households in Indonesia.

"Australia is proud to work with Indonesia to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of Indonesians without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation," Baxter said.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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