Speech by Parliamentary State Secretary Thomas Rachel at the commissioning of the tsunami early warning system on 11 November 2008

Datum: 11.11.2008

Your Excellency, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Ministers of Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu,

Ambassadors,

Your Excellency, Research Minister Professor Kusmayanto Kadiman,

Director-General Dr. Sri Woro Harijono,

Members of the Indonesian and German parliaments,

Director Salvano Briceño

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you very much for your kind invitation to today’s event. I would also like to pass on the best wishes of Federal Minister Dr. Annette Schavan. We are convinced that today’s event will send out a signal – far beyond the Indian Ocean – to all civilizations that are at risk from natural threats.

Almost exactly four years ago, an earthquake struck just off the coast of North Sumatra. Nevertheless, Indonesia was the first country to react. At the Jakarta Summit, the Secretary-General of the United Nations demanded: “The world needs early warning systems”.

Germany also acted quickly, providing aid to the victims of the tsunami. The lion’s share went to the destroyed province of Banda Aceh. In addition, German citizens raised a large amount of money from donations.

Besides providing reconstruction aid, however, it was also important to take precautions to ensure that natural disasters would never again lead to such suffering. Early warning systems need to be in place to warn people of tsunamis in advance. After all, there will be other earthquakes in the future which could trigger similar disasters.

The German scientific community was able to help, because Germany has outstanding scientific and technological expertise in the fields of geophysics, marine research and satellite technology.

The Indonesian Minister of Research Kusmayanto accepted Germany’s offer on behalf of the Republic of Indonesia. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for the trust he placed in us. This project is a new highlight in the outstanding relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of Indonesia, which were originally established in 1979.

Today, as the world looks to Indonesia, we are in a position to show them that the people living in Indonesian coastal communities and in other threatened areas around the Indian Ocean are now better equipped to protect themselves from tsunamis. We are starting up the world’s most advanced tsunami early warning system, which is able to issue the quickest possible warnings with a high degree of reliability.

The early warning system data are available to all Indian Ocean littoral states. This is a milestone in international disaster prevention and in the history of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

That is why I would like to extend my special thanks to UNESCO, which was entrusted by the international community with the coordination of the global development of early warning systems.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Powerful early warning technologies can only help if the people in the affected areas have the knowledge necessary to react to warnings in the right way. As part of German-Indonesian cooperation, communication technologies “made in Germany” have successfully been tested. Training was provided for local decision-makers and disaster protection experts in pilot regions.

All these activities must continue to be transferred to all Indonesian coastal regions. This is the responsibility of the Indonesian side, but Germany will be happy to assist.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, we are starting the operating phase, a commitment that Germany made towards its Indonesian partners. During the next two years, the early warning system will be optimized. From 2010, Indonesia will have the responsibility for the system regarding operation, maintenance and financing.

Finally, I would like to extend my personal thanks and that of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany to all those who participated in this important international project. It will not enable us to prevent earthquakes or tsunamis from happening. But thanks to the use of modern technology, the people living in coastal communities around the Indian Ocean will lead safer lives.