Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Australia will provide 215 million Australian dollars to help the Indonesian government to free from poverty.

Australian Charge d`Affaires for Indonesia Paul Robilliard said the commitment is Australia`s biggest contribution to a direct poverty eradication initiative.

"Our support will help speed up measures to enable Indonesia to expand its program which has successfully reached millions of people fighting against poverty," Robilliard said.

About half of the Indonesian population are living with an income of two US dollars (Rp20 thousand) per day, or even less, and the Australian government is therefore committed to cooperate with Indonesia in lowering the poverty rate and improving health, education and infrastructure.

This Community Empowerment National Program is an initiative of overcoming community-based poverty expected to reach all the 80,000 villages in Indonesia by the end of 2010, and benefits at least 35 million people.

The Australian support will be funding a number of pilot programs, including projects of improving basic health and education, conservation of renewable resources and the management of natural resources.

Australia will also make a commitment for up to 40 million Australian dollars in five years to support women`s access to micro finances.

Australia is currently the biggest bilateral partner in this program.

This Australian support had earlier been announced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during his visit to the neighboring country.

The Australian contribution is part of Australia-Indonesia partnership worth 2.5 billion Australian dollars for five years. (*)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono
COPYRIGHT © 2012

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