East Nusa Tenggara Signed Agreement to Accelerate MDGs Achievement

Mr. Frans Lebu Raya, the Governor of East Nusa Tenggara signing the MoU. 

Mr. Syamsuddin Harris, a parliamentary expert. 

The Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (ENT), Mr. Frans Lebu Raya, along with four House of Regional Representatives members of ENT, Mr. Abraham Paul Liyanto, Mr. Emmanuel Babu Eha, Mrs. Carolina Nubatonis Kondo and Mrs. Sarah Lery, are signing a Memorandum of Understanding consisting of  firstly, the acceleration of the ENT development to achieve Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and secondly,  the creation of constituent offices in ENT. The event,  supported by the UNDP Parliamentary Support Programme and United Nations Millenium Campaign, is held  on Thursday, June 24, 2010 at Sasando Hotel, Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara.

The memorandum reflects the commitment of  ENT provincial government and the House of Regional Representatives in their collaboration to advance the development of ENT, particularly in eradicating poverty, increasing  primary education and women empowerment,  reducing infant mortality, and developing a global partnership in development. This advancement to MDGs has been included in the provincial development plan of 2008-2013, and will involve all regional and national actors.

The ENT province remains the second least developed province in Indonesia (with Human Development Index rate of 31 out of 33 provinces).  With a population of 4.7 million , the province has a poverty rate of 27.5 percent, a maternal mortality rate of 554 per 100,000 women, and an infant mortality of 52 per 1000 new born babies (Source: provincial government.). The commitment will ensure that the advancement in achieving MDGs in thenext five years will take place , with a projected reduction in poverty to 22 percent, and an increase in Indonesia’s score in the Human Development Index to 68.3 (from 63.6 this year). It will mean a better economy, less unemployment and a better health care system to the people of the ENT.

Moreover, the development of constituent offices by the House of Regional Representatives members will serve as a means to strengthencommunication  between the people, the regional executive bodies, the regional legislative bodies and the members themselves. The offices, located in the capital city of the province,  are a symbol of the members’ sense of belonging in their community, where people can have direct and easier access to their representatives and vice versa. Also present to discuss the matter in an open forum are: Mr. Rahmat Santika, Ph.D.  (Indonesian Doctors Organisation), Mrs. Sarah Lery (the House of Regional Representatives member) and Mr. Syamsuddin Harris (a professor in politics and a senior researcher at the Indonesian Researchers Institute).

“We are supporting theconstituent offices in the province  because it  promotes and accelerates the achievement of MDGs,” said Nirmala Many, the interim Project Manager  for PRIDE-UNDP. “The low Human Development Index rating of East Nusa Tenggara is a major concern and a priority for the UNDP,” she added.

The Governor and the members of the House of Regional Representatives in a media conference facilitated by the parliamentary support programme.