JAKARTA - The government of the Republic of Indonesia, through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), handed over humanitarian assistance to the Syrian government to help victims of the earthquake that rocked Turkey on February 6.
Previously, the Syrian Government officially submitted a diplomatic note requesting assistance to the Indonesian government regarding the impact of the earthquake felt to the country.
The handover was symbolically carried out by the Deputy for Coordination of Region Development and Disaster Management, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) RI Lt. Gen. Sudirman, accompanied by the Deputy for Emergency Management of BNPB Major General Fajar Setyawan, Indonesian Ambassador Damascus Wajarid Fauzi, and the Director of the Middle East Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bagus Hendarning Kobarsih.
The assistance was received by the Deputy Minister for Local and Environmental Administration Affairs Moutaz Douaji accompanied by humanitarian agencies and the Syrian Red Crescent.
The assistance from the Indonesian government was delivered in the form of US$1 million and goods worth US$1.1 million with a total weight of 75 tons. The aid was carried on two Garuda Indonesia planes that landed in Damascus, Syria, on February 22 at 11.50 local time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, Thursday, February 23.
"Aid for goods, among others, consists of clothes, cold clothes, tents, emergency beds, food and power generators," the statement continued.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Government expressed its high appreciation to the Government of Indonesia for the concern of the government and the people of Indonesia by sending the aid.
The Syrian government said the assistance showed close brotherhood between the two countries, although geographically the location of the two countries was far apart.
"This assistance is very important in filling and strengthening bilateral relations, a reflection of the strong expression of the solidarity relations between the two countries that have existed for a long time at the beginning of Indonesia's independence," explained Director of the Middle East Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bagus Hendarning Kobarsih.
Previously, the Indonesian Ambassador to Syria, Wajid Fauzi, had also distributed logistical assistance to the Syrian people in the Latakia and Aleppo regions.
It is known that the earthquake that rocked northern Syria claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people. So far, it has been confirmed that no Indonesian citizens have been victims.
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