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Indonesia sets up $1 million aid fund for small island states
Indonesia announced this week the launch of a US$1 million aid fund for the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum to mitigate climate change in low-lying regions.
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A chapel is encroached by the waters of a bay in Sitio Pariahan, Bulacan, the Philippines on Jan. 11.. Areas north of the capital Manila, like the provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan have sunk 4 to 6 centimeters a year since 2003, according to satellite monitoring. The creeping bay waters put people and property at risk, while the threat is amplified by high-tides and flooding brought by the roughly 20 storms that pound the archipelago every year. (AFP/Noel Celis)
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ndonesia, an aspiring regional power, has disbursed US$1 million in financial support for archipelagic and small island states to mitigate the climate change threats that have haunted low-lying maritime countries for years.
The Office of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) signed an agreement this week in which Indonesia entrusted the funds to the UN agency on behalf of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum.
The coordinating minister's deputy for maritime sovereignty, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, inked the deal alongside Christophe Bahuet, the resident UNDP representative, and was witnessed by Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan, among others.
Purbaya said the fund – originally $1.2 billion in 2018 – was allocated from the state budget and would be disbursed in at least two stages. “At the time, [the amount] was still under discussion, but we eventually agreed to $1 million,” Purbaya told reporters after the signing ceremony.
Luhut said the aid fund would be used to finance various projects related to climate change and marine protection and support the creation of innovative financial solutions for island nations. “As a key country that supports efforts to adapt to climate change, Indonesia stands ready to share its expertise in climate change mitigation, disaster management and mangrove and coral reef restoration with those countries [in need],” he said.
Bahuet said that the Indonesian aid would be “concretely used for initiatives”, such as studies and the exchange of experts, knowledge and technology on maritime issues and climate change.
The fund would also be disbursed to bring entrepreneurs and startups together to help the small countries create marine-friendly developments, particularly maritime- and climate change-related financial innovations.
