Australia Provides Rp.15.3 Trillion Loans To Indonesia To Handle COVID-19, Sri Mulyani: We Appreciate It

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government has received a bilateral loan from the Australian Government of 1.5 billion Australian dollars or the equivalent of IDR 15.3 trillion based on an exchange rate of IDR 10,246 per Australian dollar. This loan was provided as assistance to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the current pandemic condition is indeed not easy. He considered that this assistance really provided room for the government to maneuver and diversify fiscal risks.

"The Australian dollar 1.5 billion loan to Indonesia is one of the kinds of support that we really appreciate," he said, during a virtual press conference, Thursday, November 12.

This state treasurer said, with the loan, the government can not only overcome COVID-19, help people, help the business community, small and medium enterprises, but also maintain national fiscal security and sustainability.

Furthermore, Sri Mulyani also appreciated the commitment and sustainable partnership of relations between Indonesia and Australia. This is because the COVID-19 pandemic is not only a challenge for the Indonesian government, but governments in other countries.

Sri Mulyani said the partnership not only showed the very strong relationship between Australia and Indonesia but also an understanding as a neighboring country.

"We have a common goal to recover and strengthen because we cannot heal on our own with this COVID-19 pandemic," he explained.