Partnership will strengthen disaster management in Indonesia

Disaster management in Indonesia will be strengthened by a partnership between Indonesia’s National Coordinating Board for Disaster Management (BAKORNAS) and Emergency Management Australia (EMA).

The two leading disaster management agencies have signed a subsidiary agreement to facilitate a close partnership that will commit Australian expertise to helping strengthen Indonesia’s capacity to manage and respond to natural disasters.

The BAKORNAS PB-EMA Emergency Management Partnership (BEEMP) aims to strengthen the management of Indonesian national and provincial disaster management agencies and to raise their prevention/mitigation, response, preparedness and recovery capabilities through an active partnership and cooperation with EMA.

The program will include primarily technical assistance and training, including training for BAKORNAS staff in Indonesia or Australia and staff exchanges between the two countries.

The program is fully funded by AusAID under the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development. AusAID will continue to work closely with BAKORNAS and EMA to help them work towards achieving the partnerships aims, and to promote its benefits into the future.

EMA Director-General Tony Pearce said Indonesia had made strong progress in dealing with a number of major natural disasters in recent years, from the December 2004 tsunami to the May 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta.

“While it is impossible to prevent natural disasters, we are delighted to be able to support Indonesia to prepare for future disasters, and to mitigate their potentially devastating effects.”

Further information:
Mia Salim (AusAID Public Affairs) 2550-5490 / 08121070237