At a time when the world is focused on Denmark regarding climate change talks, the same Denmark is focusing on fostering democracy through enhancing good governance in Indonesia.

Royal Danish Ambassador to Indonesia Borge Petersen on Tuesday announced a US$10 million Danish government grant for good governance programs in Indonesia.

During a ceremony held Tuesday at his residence in Jakarta, ambassador Petersen signed separate agreements with representatives from the Transparency International Indonesia (TII), the Asia Foundation and the Kemitraan (Partnership for Governance Reform).

Money from this grant will also go to Semarang-based Jakarta Center for Law Enforcement Cooperation, an agency devoted to improving professional standards of law enforcement agencies in combating transnational crimes.

“I am pleased that today’s agreements represent just one more element in a long history of valuable cooperation between Indonesia and Denmark,” Petersen said.

“Signing today’s agreements reflect Denmark’s continued support for promoting  good governance in Indonesia, focusing on democracy including civil values, human rights, the fight against transnational crime and anticorruption.”

With the Danish government’s assistance, the TII will implement a project to improve good governance and reduce corruption.

“Our main focus will be on capacity building, empowerment and involving public participation in implementing the local government budgets. In Indonesia, many people do not know much about the implementing development programs. We want greater participation from people at the grass root level,” TII secretary-general Teten Masduki said.

TII chairman and noted human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis was also present at the signing ceremony.

The Asia Foundation country representative Robin Bush signed the agreement on behalf of her organization.

Bush’s organization will launch a new project, which will work with religious and other community leaders, the police, civil servants and religious courts to promote human rights and civic values.

Meanwhile, Kemitraan will focus on a five-year program on leveraging and educating on accountable democracy.

“Our main aim is to promote and develop an accountable democracy,” Kemitraan executive director Wicaksono Sarosa said.   

These programs, Petersen said, would be implemented from 2010 to 2013.

This $10 million grant is part of the Danish development assistance program. According to Petersen, Denmark every year allocates 0.82 percent of its GDP, above the UN target of 0.7 percent.

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