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In joy and sorrow, Vanuatu is our friend
Indonesia has given humanitarian aid to the Republic of Vanuatu, which was recently hit by Cyclone Pam
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Indonesia has given humanitarian aid to the Republic of Vanuatu, which was recently hit by Cyclone Pam.
Vanuatu is an oceanic island nation located in South Pacific Ocean, east of northern Australia, northeast of the New Caledonia sea, west of Fiji and southeast of the Solomon Islands. It is a country with six provinces in an area of roughly 12,189 square kilometers and a population of 266,937 people. The country was named New Hebrides during the British Condominium that consisted of 83 islands.
In March of this year, a severe cyclone that reached an estimated speed of 320 kilometers per hour resulted in many casualties and damage to Vanuatu. To date, it has been reported that the cyclone caused 24 casualties.
The Indonesian government, through the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), the Health Ministry, the Social Affairs Ministry, the Indonesian Red Cross and the Foreign Ministry, have given humanitarian aid to Vanuatu.
According to BNPB emergency management deputy Tri Budiarto, the aid given was US$ 2 million, consisting of :
A humanitarian aid team of 19 experts was also sent, consisting of five personnel from the BNPB, two personnel from the Papua Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and West Papua BPBD, one personnel from the Office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister, two personnel from the Foreign Ministry, one personnel from the Health Ministry, one personnel from the Social Affairs Ministry, three personnel from Disaster Management Rapid Response Unit, one personnel from Indonesian Red Cross and three journalists.
The departure of the Republic of Indonesia Humanitarian Mission Team for Cyclone Pam victims to the Republic of Vanuatu was officiated by Foreign Minister Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, accompanied by BNPB chief Syamsul Maarif at the Cargo Export 510 Warehouse, Garuda Cargo Center, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Cengkareng, at 7:00 a.m. on April 4.
'In joy and sorrow, Vanuatu is our best friend,' said Retno in her speech at the dispatch ceremony. The ceremony was also attended by the chair of House of Representatives Commission VIII, Garuda Indonesia president director, Cardig Air president pirector, Foreign Ministry secretary-general, BNPB Echelon I and II officials and other related officials.
The team's arrival in Vanuatu
After a 12-hour flight, the Indonesian Humanitarian Team transited in Fiji to load the relief goods from the Garuda plane to a cargo plane. The team arrived in Vanuatu on April 6 at 5:00 p.m. local time.
The team met with Indonesia Ambassador to Australia Nadjib Riphat Kesoema. The handing over of the aid was done on April 7 at 11:00 a.m. to Vanuatu's climate change and natural disasters minister. Nadjib expressed his gratitude for the aid and explained about disasters in Vanuatu.
Indonesia's aid handover to Vanuatu
The embassies, along with the chairman of the Indonesian delegation, Ir. Taufik Kartiko, M.Si, had a meeting with several officials from the Vanuatu government, including Vanuatu Foreign Minister Sato Kilman and Vanuatu Prime Minister Hon Joe Yhakowaie Natuman.
In the brief visit, Natuman expressed his gratitude for the aid from Indonesia for the cyclone victims.
'At this moment, we need to rebuild schools, replant trees and rejuvenate things after the disaster,' he said.
Nadjib Riphat Kesoema also sent his regards on behalf of the President of Indonesia and conveyed his deepest condolences for the disasters.
'We came as a friend on this humanitarian mission,' said Nadjib.
Vanuatu Climate Change and Natural Disasters Minister James Bule received the aid symbolically from Nadjib at the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) in Vanuatu.
After that, the Indonesian Humanitarian Team received a briefing on the disaster relief work carried out by the Vanuatu government. Led by NDMO director Shadrack Welegtegit, both parties exchanged ideas on how disaster relief work was done in Indonesia.
Welegtegit said that people in Vanuatu needed food supplies for three months ahead. 'Until the next harvest period when our food supplies are secured,' he said.
The Indonesian government also invited Vanuatu to attend the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, Indonesia. It was expected that the cooperation between Indonesia and Vanuatu could improve greatly, 'not just in social aid, but also in other sectors like education, economy and agriculture,' said Nadjib.
Overseas Disaster Aids
BNPB Indonesia
