Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport concurrently Leader of the House Anthony Albanese is scheduled to visit Jakarta on Tuesday to strengthen regional transport safety and security.

"Tomorrow I travel to Jakarta to continue the dialogue and collaboration with the Indonesian Government on our joint efforts to make the skies and waterways within our region even safer," the minister said in a press statement posted on the official website of the Australian embassy in Jakarta.

Minister Albanese`s two-day visit is aimed at strengthening the strategic relationship with Indonesia, that he has describes as one of Australia`s most important neighbours, and discussing ways to work together in improving transport safety standards.

"On Wednesday I will join with the Indonesian Minister for Transportation, Freddy Numberi, to formally sign an extension to our Memorandum of Understanding on Co-operation in the Transport Sector through which Australia will provide a further $14.5 million towards training and other initiatives such as joint search and rescue exercises," the minister said.

This new funding builds upon the $24 million allocated in 2007.

In addition, the minister will also meet with Minister Numberi and the Directors-General of Sea Transportation, Railways, Civil Aviation, Land Transport as well as other senior officials from the country?s transport safety and security agencies.

Each year more than 1.3 million people travel between Australia and Indonesia, with millions more using the various modes of transport to get around the vast archipelago that is Indonesia.

"Our joint efforts over the last three years have been about making sure they all arrive at their destinations safely," the minister said.
(Tx.F001/HAJM/O001/P003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH

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