RI gets yen 28.18 billion loan from Japan to tackle natural disasters

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Japanese government has agreed to extend a
Yen 23.18 billion loan to Indonesia to fund a program to tackle natural
disasters causing both economic and social losses.

A memorandum of understanding on the loan was signed here on Tuesday by
Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Shin Ebihara and the secretary of the
Directorate General for Asia Pacific and Africa of the Foreign
Ministry, Kenssy Dwi Ekaningsih.

A statement from the embassy said the loan was intended to support
restoration and rehabilitation work in the aftermath of the disasters
that occurred in Indonesia in 2007 and also as an effort to improve the
Indonesian government`s disaster managemnt policy and system.

A total of 129 disasters occurred in Indonesia in the past 10 years,
causing the state a loss of some US$9.64 billion and a death toll of
320,000 people. (*) END