Multi Donor Fund (MDF) has committed to continue helping rehabilitate and reconstruct tsunami-devastated Aceh and North Sumatra's Nias until 2012, following the dissolution of the country's authorized agency dealing with rebuilding projects there.
Safriza Sofyan, MDF deputy chairman for Aceh and Nias, said his office hoped to finish building 1,000 houses for tsunami victims in Aceh and 1,300 houses for those in Nias this year, and would complete infrastructure projects next year.
"Our focus, going forward, is to build houses and infrastructure, as well as empower people," he told reporters in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday.
"The MDF is still committed to helping Aceh and Nias, although the *Aceh-Nias* Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency *BRR* is no longer in operation, and local and international NGOs have reduced their activities."
Safrizal added that sourcing labor and materials would still be an issue for MDF's future projects, but did not elaborate.
A MDF representative in North Sumatra, Nurlisa Ginting, said all stakeholders, especially the tsunami victims, should be grateful MDF projects would continue to run after the BRR ended its term.
"We hope MDF programs in the next three years will be of value to the people affected by the disaster, and will improve regional economies," said Nurlisa.
The international community, the Indonesian government and civil society organizations will be working together through the MDF for Aceh and Nias, to support post-tsunami recovery programs.
Safriza said the MDF had spent US$591 million since 2005, out of $676 million allocated for post-tsunami relief programs. The money has so far been spent on 18 projects in Aceh and eight projects in Nias, which both were devastated by the tsunami in December 2004.
The MDF had so far built 13,000 houses in Aceh and 1,317 in Nias for tsunami victims, he said.
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