VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The World Bank expressed its readiness to cooperate with Indonesia in handling the impact of the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Palu, Central Sulawesi. This was affirmed by CEO of the World Bank Group, Kristalina Georgieva after meeting Vice President Jusuf Kalla during the aanual meeting of International Monetary Fund and World Bank-Group –IMF- WBG in Nusa Dua, Bali, Wednesday (10/10). To reporters, Kristalina expressed the readiness of the World Bank to issue relief funds for victims of the Palu disaster. However, she did not elaborate how much money would be disbursed by the World Bank to assist Indonesia in handling this problem.

“This is something that we would discuss on the basis of need assessment. We just finalized rapid need assessment. What is the economic damage of the earthquake and the tsunami? And on that basis we will work with the government to define what should be the plan for reconstruction and then on that basis the government would tell us what may be necessary from us. We are prepared to support Indonesia as much as the needs. So it is a call for the Indonesian authorities to make but we are prepared to provide substantial financing should that be necessary,” said Kristalina Georgieva.

CEO Kristalina Georgieva further expressed her condolences over the disaster that occurred in Palu, Central Sulawesi. She encouraged the Indonesian government to increase investment in a bid to prevent the fall of many victims by building earthquake resistant houses. She also said that the World Bank is ready to support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Palu to build stronger buildings. This is needed especially by the people living in earthquake-prone areas. (VOI/Ndy/Trans AF/AHM)