VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesian government is committed to providing follow-up assistance to the Republic of Vanuatu following the delivery of disaster relief assistance in May 2023, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy said.

"The government's follow-up action is through the provision of assistance for the restoration of the VIP terminal of Vanuatu's Port Vila International Airport," the minister informed at a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said that his ministry will cooperate with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing to rehabilitate Port Vila airport's VIP terminal.

The VIP terminal rehabilitation project is now in the planning and designing phase, he informed.

"The program will be implemented at the end of June and is expected to be completed in July 2023," Effendy said.

Meanwhile, the Public Works and Public Housing Ministry has appointed state-owned construction company PT Pembangunan Perumahan (PTPP) as the contractor for executing the VIP terminal rehabilitation project, he informed.

The project will be funded through the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB’s) budget, he added.

"The budget is projected to surpass Rp14 billion (US$938 thousand), and we are still calculating it," Effendy said.

The terminal rehabilitation assistance will follow the provision of basic logistics aid to Vanuatu on May 8, 2023. The assistance consisted of tents, generators, bedding, hygiene kits, clothes and jackets, crafting tools and lights, and food.

Assistance for the Republic of Vanuatu was provided to accelerate the handling and recovery process following tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin and a 6.5-magnitude earthquake that struck the country last March.

The coordinating minister also expressed his utmost gratitude to government ministries, agencies, and state-owned enterprises who contributed to the humanitarian assistance delivery. (Antaranews)