World Bank Pledges Disaster Management Support In Indonesia

The chief executive officer (CEO) of World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva has revealed plans to support the Government of Indonesia in the disaster-affected areas of Sulawesi and Lombok.

Georgieva made the pledge on Wednesday, October 10th when she met with the Vice-President of Indonesia Dr. H. Muhammad Jusuf Kalla.

She further said the organisation is strongly behind the country should it be required to supplement rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by earthquake.

She said, “I am pleased to have met His Excellency Vice President Kalla today, and I thank him for the hospitality of his government and citizens, and for their warm welcome and gracious hosting of the World Bank’s Annual Meetings. We applaud the fast and robust response of President Widodo and Vice President Kalla to the earthquake and tsunami that affected Sulawesi and the series of earthquakes that struck Lombok beginning in July of this year.

“On behalf of the World Bank Group, I would like to offer our deepest condolences to you and your fellow Indonesians for the great loss you have suffered following the devastating events in Lombok and Sulawesi. Our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, the survivors, and the families and loved ones of all those affected.

“At our meeting today, I reaffirmed to Vice President Kalla that the World Bank is standing by the Government of Indonesia, together with the whole multilateral and international community, as the country faces this tragedy. Indonesia is a resilient nation with deep experience and expertise in managing natural disaster preparedness, financing, and response and we are proud of our longstanding partnership with Indonesia in this area. We are ready to expand our support with immediate effect to bolster our work to build resilience and ensure Indonesia maintains its positive economic trajectory.

“I am pleased to offer our immediate and strong support to the Government, should it be required. This support is available at the Government’s request.

“Today, as the fourth most populous country in the world – and now a middle-income country – Indonesia has enjoyed strong economic growth and is making significant advancements with poverty eradication efforts. We congratulate the Government on its achievements in its growth and development, and we are committed to ensuring that Indonesia continues its upward economic path.”

Over the past decade, the World Bank has emerged as the global leader in disaster risk management, supporting client countries to assess exposure to hazards and address disaster risks.