Time for Indonesia to Become Donor Country: Kalla

Madinah (Antara Bali) - Indonesias Vice President Jusuf Kalla said here on Saturday that the time has come for the country to help others by becoming a donor country.

He told newsmen, aboard the presidential aircraft that took him to Medina, Saudi Arabia, for a minor hajj pilgrimage after attending a D-8 summit in Istanbul, Turkey, that he would ask ministries concerned to attend a World Bank meeting on providing aid to Guinea.

"Guinea has invited Indonesia to attend a World Bank meeting of donors for Guinea. I will ask a minister to attend it, as it is now time for us to give. Guineas income per capita is about US$400. Thank God, we will be able to help Guinea as our income has now been several thousands. We must not only ask but must also give. We have the capacity to do it. Now, there has been a program regarding this at the ministry of foreign affairs," he stated.

Kalla made the statement when asked about the bilateral meeting with Guinea in Istanbul on Friday.

Foreign minister Retno Marsudi said in Istanbul that her office was currently preparing a single agency that would specially distributes aid to other countries, which is, according to her, in line with the countrys foreign policy.

She remarked that the agency would be the sole one of the government that would distribute aids to countries in need, while increasing cooperation at the same time. "To be simple, it will be like Ausaid," she added.(*)