Vanuatu Rocked By Earthquakes And Storms, Indonesia Sends Billions Of Rupiah Aid

Minister of Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy. (doc the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government immediately sent humanitarian assistance to ease the burden on the people of Vanuatu who were affected by hurricanes and earthquakes.

"This assistance is a form of humanitarian support to the South Pacific country which was hit by the hurricane and earthquake," said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Muhadjir Effendi in his statement, Thursday, May 4, as reported by Antara.

Muhadjir added that President Joko Widodo had approved the provision of humanitarian assistance to Vanuatu.

"Therefore, President Joko Widodo instructed us to follow up on the provision of assistance," he said.

He also said that his party had held a ministerial level meeting to discuss humanitarian assistance for Vanuatu.

"The Indonesian government plans to send humanitarian aid worth Rp. 10 billion, to repair the VVIP room at Port Villa Airport," he said.

Head of BNPB Lt. Gen. Suharyanto added that Indonesia also sent logistical assistance for basic needs of 34.7 tons consisting of 11 types of goods with a value range of IDR 7.2 billion.

"The logistical assistance that we will send is one of them containing food packages in the form of milk, rice, sugar, biscuits, ready-to-eat food, and instant noodles," he said.

The aid is planned to be dispatched on Monday, May 8, 2023 through Soekarno Hatta International Airport by cargo plane.

"The Indonesian government has also sent 14 humanitarian teams, namely representatives from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, BNPB, and BIN using Garuda Indonesia aircraft," he said.

He added that Indonesia and Vanuatu partnered in a multilateral organization of Pacific countries, namely the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

Based on information compiled by the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 rocked Vanuatu on Friday, May 3. Previously, TyphoonOK also hit the area.