VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesia shows social concern for Argentina amid the COVID-19 pandemic by providing sanitation tools and basic food assistance to the government of the Province of Buenos Aires.

The assistance is part of the "Indonesia Solidaria" program, which is an act of social awareness from the Indonesian Embassy in Buenos Aires to ease the burden on the Argentinean people affected by COVID-19, according to a written statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Buenos Aires received in Jakarta, Wednesday.

"This solidarity is manifested by the Indonesian Government through the Indonesian Embassy in Buenos Aires, by providing assistance with sanitation tools, staple foods, and public kitchen operations," the Indonesian Ambassador for Argentina Niniek Kun Naryatie said.

Ambassador Niniek emphasized that the friendship between Indonesia and Argentina recognizes no geographical barriers, and the COVID-19 pandemic which has a tremendous impact requires every country to help.

"Indonesia is your friend, Indonesia is your brother, and the most important thing is Indonesia for you," Ambassador Niniek said when handing over sanitation tools and staple food aid to the government of the Province of Buenos Aires.

The pandemic had a socio-economic impact on Argentine society.

The unemployment rate in Argentina reached 26.7 percent and the poverty rate rose to 37.5 percent or 11 million people. In addition to sanitation and staple food assistance, the Indonesian Government through the Indonesian Embassy in Buenos Aires also finances the operation of two public kitchens in the city of Lanús, Buenos Aires Province, for five days from 28 September to 2 October 2020. 

Lanús is a buffer city for the capital city of Buenos Aires, with a population of 450 thousand people.

Since the pandemic, the industrial sector which is the mainstay of the city has also been sluggish. To survive, poor people rely on public kitchens owned by the government or local communities. They will wait in line to get a bowl of soup, pasta, or potatoes for lunch.

Since the pandemic, public kitchens were set up everywhere to feed tens of thousands of underprivileged people every day.
In his remarks, the Head of the Agency for Institutional and International Relations of the Province of Buenos Aires, Sofia Sternberg, expressed his gratitude and said that the assistance provided would be of great help to the people in the Province of Buenos Aires.

He also hoped that after the pandemic, between Indonesia and Argentina, especially with the Province of Buenos Aires. (Antaranews)