Speech

Approval of AMDAL for Banda Aceh to Meulaboh Road

Robert F. Cunnane, USAID Deputy Director

Banda Aceh | Thursday, November 24, 2005

Honorable Acting Governor Abu Bakar, Ibu Arsyiah, Bapak Ridwan, [BRR Rep] and other distinguished guests, it is a pleasure to be here with you today to celebrate Flora and Fauna day in Aceh. Today, we raise awareness of the importance of a clean and green environment, and celebrate a shared commitment to rebuild Aceh better than before.

Post-tsunami rehabilitation and reconstruction is an enormous undertaking, and presents risks to Aceh’s unique natural resources. The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road is essential to restore land transportation, communication, and livelihoods for communities along the west coast of Aceh. At the same time, this reconstruction must be done in a way that avoids and minimizes negative impacts on Aceh’s environment. A key part of our strategy is to ensure that rebuilding the road minimizes adverse environmental impacts, while at the same time meets our goal to build the road, and Aceh, back better.

Through USAID, the U.S. continues to provide critical recovery and reconstruction assistance to the national Government, the Acting Governor of Aceh and his team, local governments and tsunami-affected communities.

On July 7, the U.S. and Indonesian governments signed an agreement detailing the use of $400 million committed by the U.S. for tsunami recovery and reconstruction, including $245 million for the design and reconstruction of the Banda Aceh to Meulaboh road and its 110 bridges and crossings. We will work beside the Government of Indonesia and with Acehnese communities to see that our partnership with you succeeds.

On behalf of USAID, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to our colleagues in BAPPEDALDA, Dinas Praswil, P2JJ, the BRR and the Governor’s office for their collegial working relationship and their commitment to public participation in the preparation of the AMDAL for the Banda-Aceh to Meulaboh road rehabilitation and reconstruction process.

The AMDAL identifies the environmental and social impacts of the Banda Aceh-Meulaboh road rehabilitation and reconstruction project. Its plans include mitigating and monitoring potential adverse impacts such as changes to the landscape, impacts to flora and fauna ecosystems, and erosion and dust during construction.

This AMDAL is the first to be approved for tsunami reconstruction, and we hope that this can serve as a model for other reconstruction projects.

Terima kasih.

Learn more: Tsunami Reconstruction | About this activity

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