July 09, 2021

In Meeting with Senior-most Embassy Official, Duckworth Underscores Support for Indonesia as U.S. Sends 3 Million Vaccine Doses to the Country

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – As the Biden Administration announced a shipment of 3 million Moderna vaccine doses to Indonesia, Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today spoke with the Indonesian Chargé d’Affaires in Washington, D.C., Mr. Iwan Freddy Hari Susanto, who is the highest-ranking Indonesian Embassy official in the United States, to underscore our government’s and our nation’s commitment to the Indonesian people as they seek to overcome a tragic and recent surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Duckworth lived in Indonesia as a child before serving in the United States Reserve Forces for 23 years. She is now a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).

“I was pleased to have this opportunity to underscore our nation’s support for the people of Indonesia and reiterate to Chargé Susanto that our entire government is fully committed to helping his country overcome its new surge in COVID cases and deaths. These millions of American vaccine doses do not come with any strings attached, but rather with the knowledge that no nation can be completely safe in COVID-19 until all nations are—so we have to work together to save lives and help bring an end to this awful pandemic everywhere. I’ll keep working closely with the Indonesian government to support the people of Indonesia and make sure they receive the safe, effective vaccines doses and international aid they need to reach the other side of this deadly pandemic.”

During today’s meeting, Duckworth also discussed the U.S. government’s continued efforts to increase assistance for Indonesia’s broader COVID-19 response efforts, which has included more than $14.5 million in direct COVID-19 relief, including $3.5 million to help vaccinate Indonesians quickly and safely. USAID support is also providing health education for the public, working to train thousands of health workers and funding a national COVID-19 information website that reaches more than 36 million people. The U.S. government has also donated COVID-19 testing equipment, 1,000 ventilators and nearly 2,000 handwashing stations.

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