REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi left for Switte, Rakhine State, Myanmar, to deliver humanitarian aid from Indonesia in the form of 10 containers of food and clothing.  "The minister arrived in Yangon yesterday. The minister left for Switte, Rakhine State, this morning," according to a press statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received here on Saturday. 

In addition to handing over humanitarian aid, Foreign Minister Marsudi inaugurated two schools in Switte built using donations from Indonesians. During a two-day working visit to Myanmar, Minister Marsudi also held a series of meetings on Friday afternoon (Jan 20) with the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, chief representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and members of the Advisory Committee of Rakhine State.

During a meeting with Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U. Kyaw Zeya, Minister Marsudi conveyed some of the latest developments, in particular the progress achieved during the meeting of countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Kuala Lumpur. Zeya said that the Myanmar government welcomed the visit of Minister Marsudi and praised Indonesia's efforts to support development in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Minister Marsudi, representatives of UNHCR and UNDP, as well as members of the Advisory Committee of Rakhine State discussed recent developments in the humanitarian situation in Rakhine State. 

Representatives of the UNHCR and UNDP noted that the UN humanitarian program had been re-implemented in several areas in Rakhine State. Members of the Rakhine State Advisory Committee highlighted the progress achieved in preparing a commission report led by former UN secretary general Kofi Anan.

On the occasion, Minister Marsudi visited the Indonesian International School Yangon. The minister was warmly welcomed by students from elementary, junior, and senior high schools from 34 countries. The Indonesian International School Yangon had been established since 1967. Currently, 549 students are studying in the school.

The minister had earlier attended a special session of the OIC ministers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to discuss the issue of Rakhine State.

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