A release of the social ministry in Jakarta Tuesday said that the social minister was in the company of his secretary general Toto Utomo Budi Santosa in the visit from December 25 to 28, 2011.
On Monday, Dec 26, Minister Salim Segaf flanked by secretary general Andi Zainal Abidin, director general Makmur Sunusi and special staff Musholi met with officials of IKRF and its chairman Hossein Anvari.
Following an intensive dialogue, the MoU was signed by secretary general Toto Utomo and deputy secretary general of IKRF Mohammad Mohammadi Fard in the presence of Social Service Minister Salim and chairman of IKRF.
"This is a return visit as in last October Hossein Anvari visited Indonesia in which he also visited the social service ministry. In 2009, a Letter of Intent was issued, fostering the MoU this time," Minister Salim said.
The visit marked a new stage in Indonesia-Iran development and cooperation especially in economy and education. The two countries are also in dire need of humanitarian and social affairs cooperation.
As reflected in the solidarity during the quakes in Bam, Iran (2004) and in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2006). The government and humanitarian institutions of Indonesia sent volunteers to Iran, and Iranian government and humanitarian organizations sent help to Indonesia.
"The cooperation between the two countries needed to be raised not only in overcoming natural disasters, but also poverty eradication, protection of weak people including the handicapped, parentless and old people, and training for the poor to make them self-sufficient," Salim said.
Indonesia has an experience in protecting the very poor, like under the Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH), program of hopeful people, serving 1.5 million RTSM in 2012, which may grow to 3 million RTSM in 2014.
The Iranian government also has an experience in dealing with social problems there.
"We have a capacity to serve 10 million poor people with the support of 14,000 government personnel and 100,000 volunteers on a national basis," Hossein Anvari said.
As the social affairs ministry in Iran is operating under the same roof with cooperatives and manpower authorities, vocational centers are pioneers of change by providing loans of up to 100 million riyal.
(T.D016/Uu.H-NG/S012)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
