While I was in Jakarta on Thursday, I had the opportunity to meet with President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom of the Maldives at the ASEAN Tsunami Summit. He described the human suffering and destruction which his country has suffered as a result of the tsunami disaster.
I asked President Gayoom what more Australia could do for his country. He told me there were two priorities-getting the children back into school and repairing the coral reefs.
I told President Gayoom that Australia would respond immediately to this request. Arrangements have now been made.
AusAID has arranged for 15 teachers to arrive in the Maldives at the end of January in time for the start of the new school year. We will also work with the school authorities to play our part in repairing schools damaged or destroyed by the tsunami.
Australia's expertise in the management of coral reefs and fisheries will be used to help this tiny Indian Ocean nation repair its marine resources which are fundamental to the country's economic life. CSIRO will head a team to assess how best to repair the damage. Participants in the team are likely to be drawn from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, James Cook University, and the Reef Co-operative Research Centre.
This latest response follows the despatch immediately after the tsunami of the Australian medical and relief team which the Maldives so desperately needed at that stage.