Howard Promises $1 Billion in Aid
Wow. Nice of him!
Dan
Posted on 01/05/2005 11:43:45 AM PST by Washington1980
Howard promises $1 billion in aid By Tom Allard, Herald Correspondent in Jakarta and Cynthia Banham January 6, 2005
Page Tools Email to a friend Printer format The Prime Minister, John Howard, today pledged $1 billion over five years to the Indonesia's tsunami reconstruction, the largest donation made so far for the relief effort.
On the eve of today's international summit in Jakarta, Mr Howard announced a historic package which includes $500 million in direct aid and $500 million in concessional loans. He said the Indonesian President, Susilo Yudhoyono, had been "overwhelmed" by the offer and "would never forget it".
The pledge, considerably more than the $500 million that had been rumoured, is a diplomatic coup for Mr Howard and will increase his standing in the region.
It follows a request from Indonesia for Australians to come into the heart of its Government and help lead the reconstruction of its stricken regions.
The aid would be delivered through a newly formed joint commission, which would be overseen by Dr Yudhoyono, with the involvement of the foreign and economic ministers of both countries.
Mr Howard, who met with Dr Yudhoyono privately before the announcement, said this would place the relationship between the two countries on a new plain and an even firmer footing.
Advertisement Advertisement"This is a historic step in relations between Australia and Indonesia," he said in the early hours of this morning.
Mr Howard said this was Australia's largest single aid contribution. In total, Indonesia would receive $1.8 billion over the next five years, which includes existing aid from Australia.
(Excerpt) Read more at smh.com.au ...
Jeez...I thought that the "Howard" in the title was Howard Stern. That would have been a show-stopper.
...although we still have time left today....
That's what I thought. Instead it look like a "oh please Mr. terrorist don't eat me kind of deal.
Damn those stingy western nations!
Wait till tomorrow... Germany may call and raise with their wedding ring and house mortgage.
I thought it was the Dean of all How-wierds.
YEAHHHHH!
I was imagining all the little move-on trolls trying to organize relief. LOL.
The nations of the world generating a Tsunami of money for relief in this particular disaster; money in large part gobbled up by profiteers... while natural and Islamist caused disasters continue to kill hundreds of thousands in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and around the world, while going relatively ignored....
This is really getting sickening to me.
After 911, small ministries were ignored by many donors who had maxed out their ability to give.
Now, the same thing is happening again. I see no reason we need to rebuild tourist resorts or towns where no people exist anymore. I see no reason to replace thatched huts with modern condos.
We keep them from starving and let the oil rich area finance their own development.
Wow. Nice of him!
Dan
It's getting fun, ain't it?
Today expect a press conference detailing the trip and "mission" to Sumatra planned for Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Roselyn Carter, Betty Ford, and Lady Bird Johnson (is she still alive?)....
Btw, is anybody minding the store??
Yeah, like the 5 million who die each year because we won't use DDT to control malaria.
I don't really understand it either, and I don't believe the media has adequately explained it.
OK, so in the short term, this aid money will pay for food and shelter for the victims. I can appreciate that. But will we end paying for the rebuilding of these areas too? Can the governments not do that? It seems to me that only in Aceh and parts of Sri Lanka are substantial areas destroyed. Won't this process be incredibly wasteful, corrupt, and unfair? Has anyone even talked about the number and value of homes destroyed? How can it compare to the aid money?
But when the health and safety and security issues are done, that's where the job ends.
Not a popular cause. Just sweep it under the rug.
The world's got a big rug.
Good for the Aussies.
I know they spell some things differently down under, but I really think the author meant to use the word "plane" here: "... this would place the relationship between the two countries on a new plain and an even firmer footing."
Is Jerry Lewis still alive. This has become embarassing. The odd thing is that Nush never really entered into this sort od pissing contest in the first place. Oh and je did respond "immediately" in that he started to send the carriers right away.
How cynical and provincial of you. The world is our store. ....."concentric circles of compassion" [as a Freeper peaking on shrooms yesterday put it] enveloping us all. .....jihadists, communists, everyone.
Do I hear $10 billion?
Perhaps next week.
I'm still waiting for a topic that lists someone other than France as being the No.1 donor:
'France: We're the No.1 Tsunami Aid Donor'
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