Speaking on the sidelines of a two-day international ministerial conference on population and development in Yogyakarta held from Tuesday to Wednesday, Nofrijal said that establishing centers of excellence was a key way to realize the pledge.

“I plan to make Yogyakarta a location for centers of excellence, as well as Jakarta,” Nofrijal told The Jakarta Post, Wednesday.

(Read also: Indonesia poised to expand global role in family planning: UNFPA executive)

Nofrijal said Yogyakarta had been chosen because the province had everything required to host centers of excellence. Among the province's key programs are a contraceptive program and pre-service training. It is also home to the prestigious Gadjah Mada University.

“We just need to provide the buildings and the infrastructure,” Nofrijal said.

Jakarta, on the other hand, was chosen because it already possesses the necessary infrastructure. Decisions just need to be made on the centers' leaders, facilitators and services offered.

Nofrijal said BKKBN had prepared buildings in Jakarta to be used for the centers of excellence. “Our office in Halim, for example, will have hotel facilities to host international training programs,” he said.

Nofrijal also said that the establishment of centers of excellence for population and family planning was an implementation of the Yogyakarta Calls for Action adopted during the two-day ministerial conference. (ebf)

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