Indonesia Sends Humanitarian Aid, Foreign Minister Retno: Safety And Lives Of Afghan People's Top Priority

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - Indonesia is committed to sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan worth USD 3 million, in a virtual meeting held by the United Nations to gather support for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.

The United Nations through Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a virtual UN High-Level Meeting on the Humanitarian Situation in Afghanistan on Monday.

In his opening remarks, the UN Secretary-General said that the humanitarian condition in Afghanistan has become one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world in history. This humanitarian situation is further exacerbated by drought, damage to basic public service infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is currently estimated that more than 11 million Afghans are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. For that, at least USD 606 million is needed. The Secretary-General of the United Nations called for the support of countries, especially financial assistance to ensure continuity of assistance for the Afghan people in need.

"The safety and lives of the Afghan people are the top priority", said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Mersudi who was present at the meeting, along with Foreign Ministers from 35 countries, ministerial-level officials from all UN member countries and international organizations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Overseas Indonesia.

Indonesia continues to expect an inclusive government, protection of human rights, and efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism in Afghanistan. This, as underlined by the Indonesian Foreign Minister, is an important condition for achieving a safe Afghanistan and restoring the trust of the international community.

Regarding the current humanitarian situation, Foreign Minister Retno emphasized that the international community has a responsibility to ensure that aid is delivered quickly and smoothly.

"Indonesia is committed to providing assistance of USD 3 million to the people of Afghanistan, through trusted local partners", said Foreign Minister Retno as concrete support for Indonesia.

Of the total aid, USD 150.000 was earmarked for humanitarian assistance in emergency situations. Meanwhile, USD 2.85 million is intended to support development in Afghanistan over the next 3 years, particularly in the fields of health, education, women's empowerment, and mining.

On the occasion, Foreign Minister Retno also conveyed Indonesia's ongoing commitment to continue to support the improvement and rebuilding of Afghanistan. According to her, the international solidarity in the meeting is good momentum, to encourage positive leaps for achieving sustainable peace for the people of Afghanistan.

To note, in the last few years, Indonesia has consistently provided assistance for development in Afghanistan. The total aid that has been delivered by Indonesia to Afghanistan so far has reached 10 million US dollars. These contributions were made through, among others, trilateral cooperation programs and capacity building in the field of MSMEs, women's empowerment, good governance, and natural resource management in Afghanistan.