Indonesia-Qatar Sign Scholarships For Afghan Students, Foreign Minister Retno: We Help Increase Capacity

Foreign Minister Retno signed the MoU for scholarship assistance for Afghan students. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the opportunity to learn for Afghan students would help increase capacity, not only academics, but also build resilience and hopes of rebuilding his nation.

This was said by Foreign Minister Retno after signing the MoU on the Provision of Scholarships for Afghan Students to attend education and college in Indonesia with the Minister of State for International Cooperation Qatari State Lolwah bint Rashid Al-Khater, which was held virtually on Thursday.

It said this memorandum would be the basis for scholarship cooperation for Afghan students at several universities in Indonesia, funded by Qatar.

The signing of the MoU will allow more Afghan students to continue their higher education at selected universities in Indonesia.

In his remarks, Foreign Minister Retno said the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan was pushing for the increasing importance of access to education, especially for Afghan women.

"By providing opportunities for Afghan students to study in Indonesia, we will help increase their capacity, not only academically, but also build their resilience and also their hope to rebuild their nation," said Foreign Minister Retno in a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday, October 17.

Giving scholarships for this is not the first collaboration between Indonesia and Qatar in promoting access to education for Afghanistan.

Previously, Indonesia and Qatar had agreed on a Letter of Interest to provide humanitarian assistance and development for the Afghan people.

In addition, Indonesia and Qatar have jointly hosted the International Conference on Afghan Women's Education (ICAWE) activities in Bali in December 2022.

Foreign Minister Retno specifically expressed her joy because ICAWE succeeded in mobilizing international support for the education and empowerment of Afghan women.

"Currently, more than 20 Afghan students have received scholarships and have studied in Indonesia. We are very happy to launch this strategic collaboration through the collaboration of the Indonesia-Qatar scholarship, with Qatar as the main donor," he explained.

Apart from education, several efforts and Indonesian assistance for Afghanistan include: the provision of 10 million doses of polio vaccine for Afghan children, humanitarian assistance for Afghans affected by natural disasters, psychosocial workshops to help 400 Afghan women face various challenges to social life.

In addition, Indonesia has also committed to assisting the development of a sharia microfinance business model that is appropriate for Afghanistan, to open up more job opportunities through household businesses.

"Politics must not hinder our solidarity with Afghanistan and above politics, humanity must be the main priority," concluded Foreign Minister Retno.