European Union Ambassadors Visits Palu

A delegation of European Union (EU) Heads of Mission visited Palu (Central Sulawesi) to express solidarity with the affected population and support the Indonesian reconstruction efforts on 18 and 19 October.

They also had a first-hand insight on the EU assets deployed ?for relief operations under the EU Civil Protection (EUCP) Mechanism.

The delegation was composed of Mr Vincent Gu?rend, EU Ambassador/Head of the EU Delegation to Indonesia, Mrs Helene Steinhaeusl, Ambassador of Austria, Mr Vittorio Sandalli, Ambassador of Italy, Mr Jean-Charles Berthonnet, Ambassador of France, Mr Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen, Ambassador of Denmark and Mr Peter Schoof, Ambassador-designate of Germany.

The ambassadors went to the Joint Operations Coordination Centre for International Assistance and met with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Secretary General, Dody Ruswandi.

They were also briefed by representatives of the Integrated Joint Task Command Centre, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

The ambassadors witnessed the magnitude of the devastation in Petobo (an area affected by soil liquefaction), the Tinggede area in Sigi and Palu.

Finally, they saw how the French and Danish water installation site operates and discussed with the staff manning them.