ID :
10621
Mon, 06/23/2008 - 14:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/10621
The shortlink copeid
RI DEBT TO GERMANY CONVERTED INTO FUNDS TO FIGHT THREE DISEASES
Jakarta, June 23 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian and German governments have agreed to convert an Euro 50-million Indonesian debt to Germany into a Debt-Health program to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria requiring Euro 25 million in funds.
The debt conversion was announced by the Indonesian finance ministry's Director General for Debt Management Rahmat Waluyanto, German ambassador to Indonesia Baron Paul von Malthzahn, and Chairman of the Innovative Financing Global Fund for the AIDS, TBC and Malaria eradication program Robert Filipp, here on Monday.
The Debt-Health program aims to free up domestic resources through debt relief to invest in urgent public health needs in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The Global Fund identifies and negotiates debt conversion opportunities and then facilitates a three-party agreement among creditors, the beneficiary country and the Global Fund. As part of this agreement Indonesia is to pay 25 million Euros to the Global Fund for the activities in Indonesia.
"This program enables us to convert debts into new funding sources for health development in Indonesia. We hope other lending countries will join this initiative and offer similar agreements to Indonesia and other countries who are struggling with health problems and huge debt burdens," Rahmat Waluyanto said.
HIV/AIDS, TBC, and malaria are still serious threats to the Indonesian people's health. The country has 170,000 patients with HIV and the highest number of TBC patients in Southeast Asia, with 150,000 people dying of TBC annually. Almost 100 million Indonesians live in areas prone to malaria.
The Global Fund has so far approved funding of around US$ 200 million for six programs to fight against HIV/AIDS, TBC and malaria. Of the total funds, US$108 million are provided to Indonesia.
Germany has approved six debt conversion programs for Indonesia involving funds totaling 143.56 million Euros, including for the Debt-health program.
The debt conversion was announced by the Indonesian finance ministry's Director General for Debt Management Rahmat Waluyanto, German ambassador to Indonesia Baron Paul von Malthzahn, and Chairman of the Innovative Financing Global Fund for the AIDS, TBC and Malaria eradication program Robert Filipp, here on Monday.
The Debt-Health program aims to free up domestic resources through debt relief to invest in urgent public health needs in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The Global Fund identifies and negotiates debt conversion opportunities and then facilitates a three-party agreement among creditors, the beneficiary country and the Global Fund. As part of this agreement Indonesia is to pay 25 million Euros to the Global Fund for the activities in Indonesia.
"This program enables us to convert debts into new funding sources for health development in Indonesia. We hope other lending countries will join this initiative and offer similar agreements to Indonesia and other countries who are struggling with health problems and huge debt burdens," Rahmat Waluyanto said.
HIV/AIDS, TBC, and malaria are still serious threats to the Indonesian people's health. The country has 170,000 patients with HIV and the highest number of TBC patients in Southeast Asia, with 150,000 people dying of TBC annually. Almost 100 million Indonesians live in areas prone to malaria.
The Global Fund has so far approved funding of around US$ 200 million for six programs to fight against HIV/AIDS, TBC and malaria. Of the total funds, US$108 million are provided to Indonesia.
Germany has approved six debt conversion programs for Indonesia involving funds totaling 143.56 million Euros, including for the Debt-health program.
