VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government is preparing scholarship for capacity building programs for the Afghans, as part of the country`s contribution in realizing peace in Afghanistan. The scholarships will be provided specifically for mining and religious studies, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) headquarter in Jakarta on Tuesday. "We have agreed to provide scholarship in the mining field for Afghanistan," she added.

The government is cooperating with the MUI to provide 135 scholarships for religious studies. Indonesia has shown support to tackle the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan by building the Indonesia Islamic Center (IIC) in Kabul that offers the Assalam Mosque and other facilities, such as a clinic, library and lodge.

On Feb 28, Vice President Jusuf Kalla has conducted the groundbreaking ceremony of a health clinic at IIC, which will be granted to the Afghan government and can later be used for offering public health services. In addition to that, the Afghan government also asked Indonesia to help increasing exports and imports to raise the competitiveness of their products while strengthening the economic sector of Afghanistan.( antara )