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By APD writer Aditya Nugraha
JAKARTA, Oct. 9 (APD) — Indonesia senior minister said on Tuesday that the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres was scheduled to visit tsunami-wrecked city of Palu during the now-progressing World Bank - International Monetary Fund annual meeting held in Indonesia’s Bali.
The visit of Guterres to Palu was related to Bali Forum, a session featured in WB-IMF annual meeting, would be accompanied by Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Indonesia Coordinating Minister for Political, Security and Legal Affairs Wiranto said.
He said Indonesia government has arranged the protocolar procedures related to the VVIP visit to the tsunami-hit capital of Central Sulawesi province amid search and bodies evacuation activities in the disaster location.
“So as to make the VVIP trip properly conducted and fit with their targeted plans,” Wiranto said here, adding that the planned visit was to accommodate requests of the two.
UNSG spokesperson office in its website announced that visit of Antonio Guterres to Poso was scheduled on Oct. 12. Indonesia Vice President Jusuf Kalla would accompany Guterres during the visit to Palu, the statement said.
Besides the two VVIP, Wiranto said more visits of foreign countries leaders to see impacts of earthquake and tsunami in Palu may follow later on.
Earlier on Monday IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde visited another Indonesia’s earthquake-stricken island of Lombok, handed overt relief fund amounted 2 billion rupiah (about US$ 131.3 million) to help Indonesia rehabilitate areas affected by the disasters in Lombok and Sulawesi.
“We would also encourage participants of the annual meeting to contribute,” Lagarde said.
The WB-IMF annual meeting has kicked off on Monday, to run until Oct 14, filled with various forums aimed at advancing developments in participating countries. The meeting is participated by over 15,000 participants from 189 nations across the world.
Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi provincial emergency response task force said that bodies found by search team from the 7.5 earthquake and tsunami in the province has risen to 2,037 as of Tuesday.
The multiple disasters have injured 4,064 others, displaced 74,044 and damaged over 67,000 houses in the affected areas.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
