JBIC OFFERS AID FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE JAVA

Jakarta, Jan 20 (Antara) - Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) offer financial aid for development of infrastructure projects outside Java. "If the government wants to build infrastructure outside Java we will consider providing assistance, but we need the list of projects to see which of the projects we think need financial support from us," JBIC Governor Hiroshi Watanabe said here on Tuesday. Hiroshi Watanabe is here at the head of a JBIC delegation to meet Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro, who represent the Indonesian government in the fifth annual meeting of Financial Policy Dialogue between Indonesia and JBIC. He said JBIC has a commitment to the government, which wants to develop energy and transport infrastructure and the environment, but projects outside Java still need studies. "The present government is new , therefore, first we want to see its policy direction. If the focus of the policy has been clear outside Java and investors have indicated interest in doing business in the outer regions then we would consider assistance," he said. Watanabe said financing of infrastructure projects through multilateral agencies has become a trend at present, and JBIC would be ready to support under the Government-Private Cooperation scheme. "In order to boost development of the manufacturing sector and improve productivity, the government would need adequate infrastructure," he said. "Many developing countries have the potential to grow fast failed because of inadequate availability of infrastructure," he added. Bambang Brodjonegoro said JBIC is a government's strategic partner which has contributed much through the Government-Private Cooperation Scheme. The Indonesian government hopes that JBIC would increase its contribution in the coming years, he added. "In principle in general the government hopes that JBIC could expand its involvement in infrastructure development in Indonesia either under the Government-Private Cooperation scheme or private sector and state companies," he said. . The minister and the JBIC leader also discussed current economic condition , risk management and cooperation in energy sector especially in oil and gas sector. ***3*** (T.SYS/B/A. Saragih/A/O. Tamindael)