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ustralia reaffirmed its commitment to continue with numerous programs to help ease the lives of 110 million Indonesians living on, or under, US$2 a day.

For 2011-2012, Australia has allocated A$558 million (US$615 million) to help eradicate poverty in Indonesia.

The Australian government aid program (AusAID)’s director general Peter Baxter is in Indonesia to strengthen Australia’s development cooperation with the archipelago and to see firsthand the results from Australia’s largest bilateral program, according to an Australian Embassy statement.

During his visit, Baxter will meet senior government officials, including Indonesia’s Minister National Development Planning, Armida Alisjahbana.

He will also travel to Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, to view activities supported by the AusAID.

“As a neighbor and partner, Indonesia will remain [the recipient] of our largest program. Australia is committed to increasing aid to Indonesia to help accelerate progress toward the Millennium Development Goals,” Baxter said.

In Kalimantan, Baxter plans to visit a number of village projects supported by Indonesia’s National Community Empowerment Program (PNPM). Australia has committed A$215 million over five years to this program.

He also aims to visit households that now have access to clean piped water and better sewerage connections, thanks to Australia’s help. This is part of Australia’s support to provide 77,000 water and 5,000 sewerage connections for impoverished urban households in Indonesia.

“Australia is proud to work with Indonesia to help achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving, by 2015, the proportion of Indonesians without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation,” Baxter said.