Indonesia, Australia seek stronger regional disaster resilience

indonesianupdates.com_admin

2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia, through the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture, is strengthening cooperation with Australia in disaster management to extend its reach to regional governments and develop sustainable programs that build disaster resilience.

The ministry’s Deputy for Disaster and Social Conflict Management, Lilik Kurniawan, said the cooperation was expected to produce sustainable programs that address the needs of regional governments in strengthening disaster resilience.

“Future cooperation programs must truly answer regional needs and have real impact in strengthening disaster resilience,” Kurniawan said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

He made the remarks while receiving a delegation from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in Jakarta.

At the meeting, Kurniawan proposed five priority areas for cooperation namely strengthening governance and coordination of early warning and response actions, developing the “Kita Tangguh” (We Are Resilient) personal dashboard, and improving coordination in disaster response and humanitarian assistance.

The two countries also aim to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration through the Indonesia Disaster Management Summit and improve coordination capacity and the sustainability of regional disaster resilience efforts.

Kurniawan expressed his appreciation for the Australian government’s continued support in enhancing Indonesia’s disaster management capacity and strengthening its disaster management system.

One example of this support is the construction of a Logistics Hub in Padang, West Sumatra, which serves as a center for logistics coordination in disaster response operations.

The facility also supported the management and distribution of logistical assistance when Indonesia was affected by Cyclone Senyar, which impacted three provinces.

The meeting with the DFAT delegation also provided an opportunity to consult on and explore the design of future cooperation between the two countries following the conclusion of the Siap Siaga Program.

“The follow-up program must be oriented toward real results and benefits, especially in strengthening capacity, systems, and disaster management mechanisms that local governments can use sustainably,” Kurniawan said.