Australian Ambassador Visits NTB

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Greg Moriarty, is in West Nusa Tenggara to view development programs funded by the Australian Government aid program (AusAID), the Australian Embassy here said in its official website on Monday.

"Australia is committed to working with the Government of Indonesia in West Nusa Tenggara as eastern Indonesia has some of the country¿s highest rates of poverty," said Ambassador Moriarty.

The Ambassador is visiting a school built with funding provided by AusAID. "SMPN6 Kopang is one of the 2074 junior secondary schools built by AusAID across Indonesia between 2005 and 2010. This program created 330,000 new school places in poor districts," said Ambassador Moriarty.

While in North Lombok, the Ambassador is meeting with local people in Medana village. "AusAID's work here is encouraging people to have a say in the way their local government is implementing the basic services they need, such as health, education and economic development," said Ambassador Moriarty.

The Ambassador will be viewing a community centre, partly funded through Australia's commitment to Indonesia's national poverty reduction program. The centre serves various community activities, such as supplementary feeding to undernourished infants and pregnant women, hosts a loan program to help women start small businesses and is a playgroup.(*/DWA)