Jakarta, Oct 15 (IANS): Indonesia here sent off $3 million of humanitarian aid to refugees in Yemen, Palestine and Sudan.
During a press conference at an airport in Jakarta, the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency Suharyanto said on Monday that the aid was respectively for around 270,000 disaster victims in Yemen, around 3,000 people infected with cholera and around 490,000 people affected by floods, and around 1.9 million Palestinian refugees who are aggravated by polio disease.
"All the aid is given officially, and of course, under accountability, including aid to Palestine, Sudan, and Yemen, which will start being delivered today," he said at Halim Perdanakusuma airport, accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy and Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi.
Suharyanto also mentioned that Palestine, Sudan and Yemen are the 12th, 13th and 14th countries to receive aid from Indonesia in the last two years, Xinhua news agency reported.
The aid, transported by a plane from the country's flag carrier, Garuda Indonesia, included dozens of refugee tents, mattresses, blankets, lighting, women's and children's clothing, ready-to-eat food, medicines, and medical equipment.
All aid from Jakarta departed on Monday and is expected to arrive in Yemen on Tuesday before being distributed to the other two countries.
Suharyanto expressed hopes that this assistance would help alleviate the suffering of disaster and humanitarian crisis victims in the three countries, while also enhancing Indonesia's role on the international stage in promoting peace and upholding humanitarian values.