Jakarta, Friday, 10 January, 2003

The Japanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yutaka Iimura, the U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce, the Italian Ambassador to Indonesia Franscesco Maria Greco, representing the European Union, and The World Bank Country Director Andrew Steer will travel to Aceh from January 13-15, 2003. This visit is to demonstrate the international community's support for the ongoing peace process between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement, the cessation of hostilities monitoring system and post-conflict reconstruction in Aceh.

Following the Tokyo Preparatory Conference on Peace and Reconstruction in Aceh, which was co-sponsored by the U.S., Japan, The World Bank, and the European Union in Tokyo on December 3, 2002, and the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement on December 9 last year. This senior-level delegation would like to hear directly from the local government and the Acehnese people about the implementation of the agreement and prospects for reconstruction and development in Aceh in the immediate post-conflict period.

Donors participating in the December Tokyo conference agreed that a coordinated approach to donor support for Aceh would make for more effective use of aid. Donors have also agreed that development assistance should support and deepen the Aceh agreement. This will be further discussed in the Meeting of the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) on January 21-22, 2003. For this very reason, the co-chairs of the Tokyo conference will conduct a multi-donor visit to Aceh to further assess the development needs in the province on January 13-15.

The small delegation will be led by the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, and will include the Country Director of the World Bank and the Ambassadors of the United States, Japan, and Italy -representing the European Union.

In the lead up to this visit, several missions have been deployed to Aceh in assessing the various needs to support the peace process, especially from a development perspective. Experience around the world shows a very powerful two-way relationship between the restoration of peace and economic development. The arrival of peace can immediately improve the environment for development. And economic development, itself, can help secure and deepen the peace. The missions were grouped into five major categories, respectively focusing on issues relating to humanitarian transition, post conflict aid, community development programs, governance and public planning, and the restoration of social and economic infrastructure.

A press conference with the delegation will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 (8:00 a.m. WIB) at the Hotel Kuala Tripa, Banda Aceh.

Information

World Bank Program in Indonesia, visit : http://www.worldbank.or.id/
US Embassy website : http://www.usembassyjakarta.org/
Embassy of Japan website : www.id.emb-japan.go.jp

Contact Persons

Embassy of Japan, Jakarta (021) 324-308
Mr. Hiroshi Matsuura

U.S. Embassy, Jakarta (021) 3435-9523
Mr. Tim Gerhardson (gerhardsonte2@state.gov)

E.U. Presidency, Embassy of Greece, Jakarta (021) 520-7776
Maria Zissi, DCM (grembas@cbn.net.id)

World Bank Office Jakarta (021) 5299-3052
Jakarta : Thomas Walton (mailto:twalton@worldbank.org)
Aceh : Mohamad Al-Arief (mailto:malarief@worldbank.org)